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Mahurangi residents popped the Champagne corks when it was announced that Auckland Transport had settled on a design for fixing the infamous Hill Street intersection in Warkworth, but some local advocates still have their doubts.
Rodney Local Board deputy chair Beth Houlbrooke says that no funding has been committed for Hill Street in Auckland Council’s Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2018-2028 or Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s infrastructure budget.
“Therefore, this funding will have to come from re-prioritising the current RLTP. That means there will be winners and losers,” Ms Houlbrooke says.
“We will be competing with 19 other Council wards for transport infrastructure funding, so we cannot rely on one councillor to be able to get this funded in the next 10-year budget, let alone early in that budget.”
But Rodney Councillor Greg Sayers says the RLTP is set to be updated in June next year and he is confident it will see funding for Hill Street included.
“The RLTP is linked to the Council Long Term Plan and the Mayor controls the budget. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are in full support and supported me to push this with Auckland Transport (AT),” Cr Sayer says.
Cr Sayers says the rough estimated cost for the Hill Street redesign is $15 million and it is likely taxpayers will pay 75 per cent of the cost via the NZ Transport Agency. AT will pay the balance through rates and the regional fuel tax.
“This is an AT project and the fact that the AT board has already approved Hill Street to be advanced to be built really says it all,” Cr Sayers says.
Nevertheless, both Cr Sayers and Ms Houlbrooke agree that those wanting Hill Street fixed must continue to apply pressure by making submissions on the RLTP. Submissions open later this year.
“I can’t stress enough how important it is that the public continue to put momentum behind the business case that has been completed. We don’t want this to become another Penlink,” Ms Houlbrooke says.
