Media Statement

15 May 2014

Action welcomed on Southern Motorway improvements

Funding for Auckland transport will mean work necessary to widen the Southern Motorway between Manukau and Papakura can begin next year, according to the chairperson of the Manurewa Local Board.

Angela Dalton congratulated the Government on $375 million of new capital funding for the New Zealand Transport Agency to accelerate $815 million worth of Auckland transport projects.

“Increasing the capacity of the Southern Motorway corridor is by far the best transport project anywhere in the Auckland region. The additional funding announced in the budget will mean three-laning the Southern Motorway southbound from Hill Road to Takanini can begin shortly.

“The total project includes more motorway lanes in Manurewa and Papakura, as well as crucial improvements to the Takanini northbound onramp and an upgrade to the Takanini Interchange.

“This has been the consistent call of the Manurewa Local Board for a number of years and a cornerstone of our advocacy. I am very pleased that it has been picked up as part of Budget 2015,” Ms Dalton said.

The accelerated construction period for additional motorway lanes and improvements to the Takanini Interchange means a project that as previously years away from commencement and completion can now start in 2014/15.

From a pure economic perspective, the benefit to cost ratio for this project is miles ahead of any other motorway project and far ahead of initiatives such as the unfunded City Rail Link and rail to the airport.

And from a local perspective, thousands of commuters know only too well the horrendous bottleneck that currently exists around Hill Road and Takanini.

“We make no apology for our relentless push to fast-track improvements to the Southern Motorway corridor, and we look forward to work commencing on the additional lanes,” Ms Dalton said.

End.

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