Too little information on big State Highway 20 Waterview Connection project

12 August 2009

The Auckland Regional Council says there is not yet enough information to assess the latest proposal for the State Highway 20 Waterview Connection and that it remains concerned about the assessment and mitigation of social and environmental effects along the route.

The Transport and Urban Development Committee today considered the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) proposal to finish the Western Ring Route by building a combination of surface roads and tunnels through Avondale and Waterview, rather than undergrounding the entire route as proposed by the previous government.

Committee chairwoman Christine Rose says the ARC supports the completion of the Western Ring Route, but is yet to be convinced that the national agency is going about it the right way.

“Concerns remain about the latest proposed route and construction methodology, especially in the absence of funding and plans for effective mitigation, and given that the current assessment of effects is incomplete.”

A report from ARC officials had today high-lighted a large number of unknowns. “The lack of detail makes it very difficult to bring the regional council’s environmental, heritage, economic and transport expertise to bear.”

The committee was concerned about a wide range of potential significant impacts, including the loss of local open space and community severance. The committee also expressed concern about how the widening of State Highway 16 would affect marine reserves.

“This motorway will be a part of Auckland’s landscape for a very long time, and some unfortunate damage will be permanent. The latest proposal may be less expensive to build, but at the expense of social and environmental considerations, which also have economic value.

“We need the whole equation. If it is NZTA’s intention to provide a minimal mitigation package, the wider community needs to understand the trade-off being made.”

The committee again expressed the view that the Rosebank peninsula would be a better strategic route, and noted the lack of an adequate explanation of how a $1.5 billion cost estimate for that route had escalated to $3.5 billion.

Christine Rose said the ARC would write to NZTA expressing its concerns, and was committed to working constructively to get the best outcome possible for Auckland.

ENDS

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