A Look at the Six Options

 

As mentioned in the NZTA and AT Seek Feedback on East-West Connections, NZTA are seeking feedback on the six options in improving the links between State Highway 20 at Onehunga and State Highway One at Mt Wellington which houses the Onehunga/Southdown heavy industrial complex – the largest in Auckland if not New Zealand.

When I wrote the previous post the large versions of the graphics for each of the options was not work. Now they are and you can see them below:

The Options

Bus priority between Māngere, Ōtāhuhu and Sylvia Park

Public transport between Māngere, Ōtāhuhu and Sylvia Park will be improved by providing bus priority along sections of the existing road.

Overview: Provision of bus lanes along sections of the public transport route (for example Mt Wellington Highway, Walmsley Road, Massey Road) Potential to have bus priority at intersections Review of bus stop locations along the route Potential to improve walking and cycling facilities along the road

 

Improving connections into and out of Onehunga-Penrose

Option A: Existing route upgrade

This option looks to upgrade the existing roads. This includes improving capacity on SH20, Neilson and Church Streets.  It also provides freight lanes.

Overview: Additional lanes north and south on SH20 between Queenstown Road and Neilson Street Limited widening of Onehunga Harbour Road Upgrade/new intersections on Neilson St (Onehunga Mall and Southdown) Four lanes on Neilson Street  between Alfred and Church Streets Freight lanes on Mt Wellington Highway and Church Street Improved cycle facilities between Waikaraka cycleway and Sylvia Park

 

Option B: Upgrade with South Eastern Highway ramp

This option proposes an upgrade of existing roads with a new ramp connection from Church Street to SH1 at South Eastern Highway.

Overview: Additional lanes north and south on SH20 between Queenstown Road and Neilson Street Limited widening of Onehunga Harbour Road Upgrade/new intersections on Neilson St (Onehunga Mall, Southdown, Church Street) and Church St (Hugo Johnston Drive and Great South Road) Four lanes on Neilson Street  between Alfred and Church Streets Freight lanes on Mt Wellington Highway Improved cycle facilities between Waikaraka cycleway and Sylvia Park New ramp connection from Church Street for travel to and from SH1 south with additional lanes on SH1 from/to Princes Street

 

Option C: Upgrade with new Galway Street and inland connections

This option proposes a new connection from Onehunga Harbour Road to Galway Street, an upgrade of Neilson and Angle Streets and Sylvia Park Road, and a new connection from Angle Street to Sylvia Park Road and to SH1.

Overview: Additional lanes north and south on SH20 between Queenstown Road and Neilson Street Limited widening of Onehunga Harbour Road with a new connection to Galway Street Upgrade/new intersections on Neilson St (Galway Street, Angle Street, Southdown) and Sylvia Park Rd (Great South Road and Mt Wellington Highway) Four lanes on Neilson Street  between Alfred and Church Streets and on Angle Street New inland connection from Angle Street to Great South Road Four lanes on Sylvia Park Road New ramps over Mt Wellington Highway from Sylvia Park Road to connect to SH1 with additional lanes on SH1 from/to Princes Street New off-road cycleway Waikaraka to Great South Road and new/improved cycle facilities to Sylvia Park.

 

Option D:  Upgrade with Gloucester Park interchange and new Galway St and inland connections

This option proposes an upgrade at Gloucester Park interchange and a new connection from Onehunga Harbour Road to Galway Street. It also proposes an upgrade of Neilson and Angle Streets and Sylvia Park Road, and a new connection from Angle Street to Sylvia Park Road and to SH1.

Overview: Additional lanes north and south on SH20 between Queenstown Road and Neilson Street New SH20 interchange at Neilson St (Gloucester Park) Limited widening of Onehunga Harbour Road with a new connection to Galway Street Upgrade/new intersections on Neilson St (Galway Street, Angle Street, Southdown) and Sylvia Park Rd (Great South Road and Mt Wellington Highway) Four lanes on Neilson Street  between Alfred and Church Streets and on Angle Street New inland connection from Angle Street to Great South Road Four lanes on Sylvia Park Road New ramps over Mt Wellington Highway from Sylvia Park Road to connect to SH1 with additional lanes on SH1 from/to Princes Street New off-road cycleway Waikaraka to Great South Road and new/improved cycle facilities to Sylvia Park.

 

Option E: New foreshore connection

This option proposes a new connection from SH20 to SH1 along the foreshore.

Overview: Additional lanes north and south on SH20 between Queenstown Road and St New SH20 interchange at Neilson St (Gloucester Park) A new connection from SH20 along the foreshore to Great South Road Four lanes along Vesty Drive New ramps from Vesty Drive over Mt Wellington Highway connecting to SH1 Additional lanes on SH1 from new ramps to/from Princes Street. New separated cycleway from Waikaraka to Mt Wellington Highway and new/improved cycle facilities to Sylvia Park

 

Option F: New foreshore and inland connection

This option proposes a new connection from SH20 to SH1 (partly along the foreshore and partly inland).

Overview: Additional lanes north and south on SH20 between Queenstown Road and St New SH20 interchange at Neilson St (Gloucester Park) New connection from SH20 to Captain Springs Road along foreshore New inland connection from Captain Springs Road to Great South Road Four lanes on Sylvia Park Road New ramps from Sylvia Park Road over Mt Wellington Highway connecting to SH1 Additional lanes on SH1 from new ramps to/from Princes Street. New off-road cycleway from Waikaraka to Great South Road and new/improved cycle facilities to Sylvia Park.

 

Source for all graphics: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/east-west-connections/overview.html

For the job required by this East-West Connection I quite like Option B with the State Highway 20 to Neilson Street upgraded connection to bypass the Onehunga Mall intersection (from Option C) put in place rather than what Option B has. Option B (modified) allows the best use of existing routes that serve the industrial complex with a new connection at State Highway One to bypass the Mt Wellington bottleneck. Option B is also the least of the destructive options (apart from A which really does not do anything) I can think of especially when compared to Options E and F which remind me a lot from what Option “8” was proposed by a lobby group.

 

One thing we all need to be on ‘Red Alert’ for is making sure Option Four – the motorway through Mangere option that was quickly ditched after protests leading to the Mayor ruling the option out entirely DOES NOT come back anywhere near the agenda at all. However, the NZ Council for Infrastructure Development is pushing for that motorway to be put back on that agenda AND built. Why? So East Auckland can get to the motorway a few minutes faster (while it rips the heart out of a South Auckland community). Something Option B and AMETI will do for those in Glen Innes while Te Irirangi Drive fitted either with a bus way or the Botany Sky Train would connect Howick to the Airport.

 

You can see NZCID’s presser on the situation here: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1410/S00111/strategy-for-aucklands-east-west-connection-unclear.htm

 

Open days are coming up and feedback can be done by clicking the links below:

Please give us your feedback

We would like to hear your views on these options. Please come along to one of our open days, or complete ahardcopy (PDF, 5.05MB) or online feedback form. If you have any questions on any of these options please do not hesitate to contact us.

Open days

• Saturday 11 October, 10am – 1pm
  • Onehunga Primary School Hall –  122 Arthur St, Onehunga
• Thursday 16 October, 3:30-7:30pm
  • Otahuhu College Sports Pavilion -53 Mangere Road, Ōtāhuhu (opposite Otahuhu College)
• Sunday 19 October, 1 – 4pm
  • Te Papapa Squash Club – Fergusson Park, Olea Road, Onehunga

Community workshops

We will also be holding a number of workshops on specific topics for those people who would like to provide more detailed feedback. To register for a workshop please email eastwest@nzta.govt.nz, or call us on 0508 NZTA EWC (0508 6982 392).

• Monday 20 October, 6:30-9pm, Onehunga
  • Workshop topic: Māngere Inlet, Waikaraka walkway and Ann’s Creek
• Tuesday 21 October, 6:30-9pm, Onehunga
  • Workshop topic: Onehunga town centre
• Wednesday 22 October, 6:30-9pm, Onehunga
  • Workshop topic: Sylvia Park and Mutukaroa-Hamlins Hill
• Thursday 23 October, 6:30-9pm,Ōtāhuhu
  • Workshop topic: Public transport between Māngere, Ōtāhuhu and Sylvia Park

 

Source: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/east-west-connections/feedback.html