Sign In / Register
Auckland Council has almost doubled the budget for gravel road improvements over the next three years.
The Governing Body, as a part of the National Land Transport Plan, has agreed to spend $10.1 million annually, or $30.3 million over three years, on road sealing.
Over the previous three years it spent just $18.4 million – $6m (2021/22), $3.2m (2022/23) and $6m, plus $3.2m allocated to the Warkworth targeted rate area (2023/24).
There are around 800km of unsealed roads in Auckland – about 80 per cent in the Rodney area, with the remaining 20 per cent in Franklin, Great Barrier Island, Waiheke Island and Waitakere.
An Auckland Transport spokesperson says that the allocated $30.3 million will deliver about 65km of sealing over the next three years.
In the current financial year, sections of Wharehine and Run Roads, west of Wellsford, are earmarked for maintenance seal, as well as Govan Wilson in Matakana. Several sections of Ahuroa Road will receive maintenance seal, while a section from 5964 to 7772 will get a seal extension including drainage and kerb and channelling.
Roads listed for maintenance seal in the 2025/26 financial year include Ocean View at Te Arai, Run, Old Woodcocks, Cowan Bay, Black Swamp, Pakiri and Ahuroa.
Auckland Transport says it costs about $350,000 per kilometre to seal a road, but this varies depending on the extent of work required. Engineering design and quality assurance costs take about five per cent of the budget, with labour, plant and material costs for drainage works, road widening and pavement work making up the balance.
Council’s Rural Advisory Panel chair, Andy Baker, commended Rodney Councillor Greg Sayers for his efforts to secure the funds.
“He has fought long and hard for the Unsealed Road Improvement Programme (URIP),” Baker said.
He added that sealing roads was not just about improving their functionality, but also protected the environment by preventing sediment from entering Auckland’s waterways.
Sayers said that never in the history of the Supercity had such a large amount of money been won for sealing and upgrading rural roads, and thanked the Mayor Wayne Brown for his support.
In addition to the environmental benefits, Sayers said sealing rural roads made them safer by reducing serious injuries and deaths.
“Rodney’s roads are the greatest contributors to serious injuries so I would like to see the unsealed roading budget doubled to $250 million in the next 10 Year Budget.”
He said that despite the positive news, vigilance was needed as several councillors had already suggested reducing the programme’s budget and redirecting funds to cycling capital projects.
“Unfortunately, even at the Annual Plan budget setting times, there will be pressure from urban-based councillors to reduce and redirect the URIP.”
Sayers also encouraged landholders with blocked culverts to report them to Auckland Transport to get them cleared.
“It is essential for water to drain away from the roads, otherwise they soften and quickly pothole.”
