Puhoi to Wellsford: Getting down to business
TransportTransport Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed the NZ Transport Agency's awarding today of a contract for the formal route investigation work on the Puhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance.
"This is the first major step in the process to secure the alignment for the new road. The next step is to consult with the community about the preferences for the road - this will begin in a few months."
Puhoi to Wellsford is approximately 38kms long and will run from the northern end of the Northern Gateway Toll Road near Puhoi to north of Wellsford.
Mr Joyce says at this early stage the first half of the road from Puhoi to Warkworth will be complete within the ten year period but the second half (Warkworth to Wellsford) will be more challenging to finish in that time. However, that remains the Transport Agency's goal.
"The government's $10.7 billion commitment to state highway funding over the ten year period means that funding is not the big issue for this project but the reality is design, consultation and consenting processes all take time.
"No work had been done on this project prior to it being confirmed as a road of national significance last year so on our current timetable this will be the fastest ever major highway project completed in this country from start to finish."
The government announced the Puhoi to Wellsford section of State Highway 1 as a road of national significance in March last year and work began after that to scope the project.
"One option being investigated is to build the Warkworth Bypass first to relieve congestion at that point. However, we would still need to know where the road north and south of that links into the bypass route so the full route will need to be known before we seek consents for that section.
"The new road will bring significant benefits to the Northland and Rodney districts, as well as to Auckland.
"The Puhoi to Wellsford corridor has been identified as one of our most essential state highway routes to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth in the Auckland and Northland regions."
Completing the Puhoi to Wellsford road of national significance will deliver significant benefits, including:
- enhance inter regional and national economic growth and productivity
- improve movement of freight and people between Auckland and Northland
- improve the connectivity between key growth areas in the north Rodney area
- improve reliability of the transport network through a more robust and safer route between Auckland and Northland
- provide further route security for Northland residents