Doubts loom over major road improvements

The long-planned Esmonde Rd-Lake Rd upgrade is mired in uncertainty, with Auckland Transport admitting it has “no plan B” if funding does not come through for it.

Waka Kotahi, the national transport agency, has asked AT to shore up its case for the work before releasing government funding for it.

A multi-year $48 million project budget set in 2018 must also be updated to take in price rises.

AT project manager Andrew Mein last week told the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board that AT was keen to get on with detailed design work so construction could start promptly when approved.

Decisions on funding of $7.3 million set