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The path will run from Broadlands Drive to the golf club and community centre.
Omaha is set to get a long-awaited 850-metre footpath along Omaha Drive next to the golf course, but the cost has blown out once again to nearly $870,000.
The June meeting of Rodney Local Board heard that the $645,000 allocated from its transport targeted rate to the path in November would not be enough, as the lowest tender received by Auckland Transport (AT) in May was $775,626. With additional professional services needed, the total budget required was now up to $868,200.
Several members voiced concern at the increase, and questioned whether the project should be deferred.
Tim Holdgate said it was a significant cost and he had concerns about pricing.
“The costings were out by 35 per cent, that’s quite a significant amount for a relatively straghtforward project,” he said. “It’s close to $1 million now and I had feedback on it when it was $600,000-odd.”
Steven Garner said he was in favour of building the path, but he was also worried about the high price tag.
“I’m very supportive of this footpath, but I am concerned that the costs are getting right up there. Is there a case for deferring this until conditions improve to the point where the price will come down?”
AT senior service network planner Shaun Kay said although previous figures had all been detailed estimates, it ultimately came down to what contractors were tendering for.
“All I can say is that tender prices varied from $775,000 to just over $1 million and we got five prices,” he said.
Board deputy chair Beth Houlbrooke agreed it was concerning when prices went up by such a high amount, but pointed out that before the path had been switched to the targeted rate fund, AT’s previous estimates had been as high as $1 million, and added that tender prices were unlikely to drop in future.
“I’m hearing from many sources that construction costs are very high at the moment,” she said. “We could defer it, but it’s not something that would save us any money in the long run.”
Board members voted to approve an extra $223,200 from the transport targeted rate fund for the 2.5 metre-wide path, which will run from just north of the Broadlands Drive roundabout to the Omaha Beach Golf Club and Community Centre in North West Anchorage. Wellsford member Colin Smith abstained, saying he was “still unhappy”.
AT said the footpath was due to be completed by the end of October, weather and ground conditions permitting.
