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Questions about safe access to side roads in Whangaparāoa, impact on retail, and the bus interchange plan, dominated a meeting between the O Mahurangi – Penlink team & Business Whangapāroa.
Initially promoted as a meeting for the public, it was later changed to business only. Business Whangapāroa said the meeting was to ensure clear communication from the Penlink project team to local businesses, following the unexpected announcement of the vital bridge link delay.
The complexity of the Wēiti River Bridge connecting Stillwater and Whangaparāoa was always a key factor in project duration. Then the initial timeline in the tender had to be revised once onsite, due to ground conditions and site access, with challenges including:
Minimising the number of piers (support columns) to ensure a clear waterway below
Balancing the West to East incline given the East bank is far higher
Bridge height; the deck 45 metres above water level nears that of the Harbour Bridge
In between light-hearted comments about starting a Weiti bridge bungy business, local businesses probed the team for clarification on safer access to Cedar Terrace, Scott Road, and Beverly Road. To eliminate unsafe right turns, Cedar Terrace will only have left turns in and out.
A key improvement will be the extension of Beverly Road with the entrance further up Whangaparāoa Road from where it currently is, thereby spacing it out from the entrance to the retail precint. There will also be extra lane length on Whangaparāoa Road for vehicles turning into Beverley Road.
The retail precinct entrance on Whangaparāoa Road will remain, also with an extension, and the advantage of two east-bound lanes removing the current issue of all traffic slowing down as vehicles turn in. Disruption to the retail precinct itself is planned to be minimal.
The hotly debated bus interchange on Whangaparāoa Road was also raised as it was unclear from the visualisation whether this was accounted for. Clarification was provided that though out of scope, the interchange does have land allocated. This land returns to Auckland Council for the eventuality that the interchange project is funded.
Also queried was the expansion of State Highway 1. If you’ve been following construction progress, you’ll have also noticed abutments underway for the State Highway 1 and East Coast Road bridges. The rationale provided for the single span bridge over SH1 is to allow space for lane expansion in the future but it was made clear that is not in scope of the current project.
Regular stakeholder updates such as this one are within the remit of the O Mahurangi – Penlink project team. Coming up in early November, they will be hosting two drop-in sessions for the community to meet the team and learn more about the project.
