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Significant wastewater and stormwater works, coupled with other roadworks will create a perfect storm of diversions and delays for Milldale residents and commuters who travel down Pine Valley Road and Dairy Flat Highway, according to Rodney Local Board member for Dairy Flat, Lisa Whyte.
She says the issues are a perfect example of why infrastructure should be put in ahead of housing developments, not afterwards.
“All these works were consented years ago as part of the Milldale development but now it’s due to happen there are thousands of new residents who will potentially be impacted,” she says.
The upgrades, known as the Argent Lane Infrastructure Upgrade, are large scale and include digging big culverts in this flood prone area and realigning Argent Lane and Pine Valley Road as well as changes at the intersection of Pine Valley and Dairy Flat Highway that include slip roads and adding traffic lights. Dairy Flat Highway and Pine Valley Road will also be widened.
Substantial earthworks, underground services and stream diversion are involved as the terrain is challenging.
The work requires Pine Valley Road to be closed to through traffic for around 279 working days. The original timing was stated as “from October 27, 2026 to approximately December 20, 2027” but no finalised traffic management plan has yet been agreed to by Auckland Transport (AT), and works cannot begin until that plan is in place.
Whyte says the contractor first put a proposed traffic management plan to AT in late July, and it took a month for AT to come back with proposed changes to that plan.
She says timing is the key issue as Fulton Hogan has multiple projects underway that will also be in the mix at the same time in the Milldale area.
She says residents were advised on social media by the local board in August of the upcoming road closure, and Fulton Hogan contractors March Cato also sent out a notice causing alarm among Milldale residents in particular.
Several residents contacted Hibiscus Matters, with one saying while no one denies the infrastructure is needed, residents want communication and transparency from Auckland Council/AT, developers Fulton Hogan and March Cato.
Concerns for Milldale residents in particular are for people driving in and out of the suburb, buses, emergency services and the route for those taking children to and from schools and preschools in Dairy Flat which will require significant detours.
Council acknowledges residents’ concerns and agrees that communication from the project team and its contractors has been inadequate.
Rodney Local Board has raised residents’ concerns with Fulton Hogan and March Cato and a public meeting is to be arranged. This will provide more information and an opportunity to air views. As this paper goes to print, no date or venue has been finalised for this meeting but those will be made public when available.
March Cato were contacted for comment but none was received by print deadline.
