My Account
The traffic disruptions at the Hill Street intersection during February and early March will be a harbinger of what will be in store when Auckland Transport (AT) eventually does the full intersection upgrade.
At this stage, the work is for investigation purposes only and involves geotechnical work on pavements, drainage and utilities. The traffic management measures that are in place include Stop/Go signs and lower speed limits.
Meanwhile, the final design of the intersection is still a bone of contention between local transport advocates and AT.
The design that was agreed to several years ago went through a surprisingly quiet re-design last year.
The outcome, labelled a “value engineering design”, reduced the number of lanes around the two new roundabouts from two to one, removed slips lanes, the entrance to Kowhai Park was moved from the roundabout to further along State Highway 1 and a cycleway/pedestrian path on Sandspit Road disappeared.
When One Mahurangi co-chair Dave Stott and transport advocate Roger Williams saw the redesign, they said that if it were to go ahead, it would not solve any of Hill Street’s long-standing congestion and safety issues, and would be a “total waste of time and money”.
Auckland Transport has refused so far to meet and discuss the redesign.
“What is puzzling is that the two lane design is still being displayed on AT’s own website, under Hill
Street improvements,” Stott says. “We’ve asked Cr Greg Sayers for some clarification.”
Stott says they have evidence that Williams’ original design would be less costly and more efficient than the value engineered design.
“We could live with this latest design providing the two lanes are reinstated. Without two lanes, it will be a total waste of money.”
An AT spokesperson says a community consultation process will be held in the coming months and then the designs, as well as the construction timelines, will be finalised.
Stott feared the consultation will present a design which is already a fait accompli.
The project has a funding allocation of $18.8 million in the Regional Land Transport Plan.
