Warkworth roading plan moves to land acquisition

Notices of Requirement for a future transport network in Warkworth have been lodged with Auckland Council following approval of the Detailed Business Case by the Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi boards.

The lodgements are described as a major step towards protecting the land needed to build new transport projects over the next 10 to 30 years as development occurs.

The lodgements cover eight new designations:

• Northern public transport hub and western link north

• Woodcocks Road – west upgrade

• State Highway 1 – south upgrade

• Matakana Road upgrade

• Sandspit Road upgrade

• Western link – south

• Sandspit link

• Wider western link – north

An estimated 19 full properties and part of a further 217 properties will be needed for the recommended network.

The project is being coordinated by the Supporting Growth Alliance, which estimates it will cost $38 million for early property purchases.

The work is fuelled by predictions that over the next 30 years there will be 8200 new houses, 4600 new jobs and 17,100 additional people in Warkworth. This is a four-fold increase in the current population.

The proposed network includes the western link, which will link State Highway 1 near McKinney Road to the Matakana link on SH1; a Matakana Road to Sandspit Road link; and a wider western link, which will traverse the development to the south of Warkworth, in the vicinity of Valerie Close.

The majority of these projects are yet to be funded. They are likely to be considered for funding in line with the long-term timeframes for the rezoning and release of land by Auckland Council over the next 10 to 30 years.

The overall estimate for capital costs to implement the Warkworth programme, excluding property acquisition, is $1 billion. To date, it has cost just over $4.5 million which has been spent on the indicative business case (2019), the detailed business case (2023) and the Notice of Requirement documentation (2023).

These costs have been incurred through the provision of professional services such as mana whenua engagement, public and stakeholder engagement, transport network modelling, economic analysis, planning services, legal advice and urban design.

There have also been engineering, ecological, noise and vibration, landscape, archaeological, stormwater and flooding assessments.

Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth is a collaboration between Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. The alliance also includes consultancies AECOM, (infrastructure consultants), Beca (engineers and consultants) and Bell Gully and Buddle Findlay (legal).

A supporting Growth spokesperson says the new transport network will provide current and future communities with better access to safe, accessible and lowcarbon transport choices.

“Our focus is on planning for future growth now by protecting the land required for the new transport corridors before homes and communities are built,” they said.

MENZIES/ ENDRES DUO

Violin & Piano

Ahead of the road opening there are a few important things I would like to share around post opening construction works, motorway operation, and my departure from the project. After the new motorway opens to traffic, there will be ongoing work for a number of months to fully complete the project. This includes work on the Pūhoi on and off-ramps, slip repairs, seasonal planting/landscaping, and final clean up of works areas; including removal of machinery and equipment, and tidying up the land no longer required for the motorway operation and returning it to its original condition. The remaining work will largely take place away from the main motorway and have minimal or no impact on the road users. The most significant work that needs to take place is the Pūhoi on and off-ramp closures. These works can’t be completed until the motorway opens and are necessary to complete the construction of the ramps, which were opened in 2021 for temporary use so that the team could construct the new motorway and connect it to the existing Johnstones Hill Tunnels.

Pūhoi southbound on-ramp

The Pūhoi southbound on-ramp will close immediately after the new road opens, 24/7, for approximately four weeks.

Pūhoi residents, residents south of Moir Hill Road, and southbound traffic from ‘old SH1’ will not be able to access the southbound on-ramp during the construction period and motorists travelling south from Pūhoi will be detoured via the free route on Hibiscus Coast Highway while we complete this work.

Pūhoi northbound off-ramp

The Pūhoi northbound off-ramp will close at night immediately after the new road opens, from 9pm to 5am daily, for approximately two weeks.

Pūhoi residents and travelling public will not be able to exit at the northbound off-ramp during this time and will need to take the free route via Hibiscus Coast Highway, exiting SH1 from Grand Drive, Orewa.

Some of the work on both ramps is highly weather dependent and can’t be done in the rain or if the ground temperature is too cold, which affects the laying of asphalt. As we are now approaching the winter months it is likely there will be nights where we can’t work. The team have allowed for some contingency, however if there is significant rain or cold weather during these dates, the work will need to be pushed out to the next fine night. To keep up to date with the closures, please check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner before heading out https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

We fully appreciate this will be inconvenient especially for those living in these areas. We would like to thank the community for their patience, while we complete the last major step required to provide access to the new motorway and smoother ride for journeys to and from Pūhoi.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say goodbye and adios. I joined the project back in April 2018 and at that time it was anticipated that I would be around for a couple of years, however, along came COVID-19. It is now time for me to hand over the reins to a successor – Mike Elliot, who will take over as Project Director to close out these final stages. I wish him all the best.

So, please enjoy this new piece of infrastructure that has been a labour of love for me and the project team. We are proud of what has been achieved.

Thank you all for your patience and interactions with us over the years.

Nga mihi Robert Jones – Project Director

TICKETS

• Members $25

• Non-Members $35

• Tertiary Students $10

Purchase Tickets Online at www.warkworthmusic.org.nz

These renowned soloists come together to present cornerstone works of the violin and piano repertoire featuring Beethoven’s ‘Kreutzer’ Sonata and Schubert’s Rondo Brillant and Schnittke Violin Sonata No. 2.

Saturday, 1 July 2023 at 4pm Warkworth Town Hall

For more information, call the NX2 team on: 24/7 Freephone: 0508 P2WK INFO (0508 7295 4636) Email: info@nx2group.com

Facebook: Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth Web: nx2group.com