Traffic would show Southern End needs investment first not the Northern End

 

The Redoubt Road-Mill Road Corridor upgrade by Auckland Transport (note: the upgrade is the northern end of the corridor (from Alfriston Road roundabout through to the Southern Motorway)) is causing along of consternation whether you do not agree on it because of environmental consequences or you think it is a gold-plated solution that could be scaled back. To me and when looking at the southern section of the corridor (south of Alfriston Road roundabout but more specifically Papakura and between Papakura and the Southern Motorway at Drury) I wonder if the “investment” at the northern end is a solution looking for a problem.

 

This comment hits the nail on the head in regards to the traffic issues on the southern section of the Mill Road corridor project:

As you allude to, the Southern Motorway will/would be great if other measures supported it. For now and like other motorway work, all that happens is that the bottleneck is shifted! In the time from the announcement being made to the present day, the southern motorway tail (or parking lot as it’s now named)has moved from Slippery Creek out towards Ramarama. Like you I reside in Papakura, most of my life in fact. My Father was born in Ness Valley! My Grandfathers last farm was the most recent one bulldozed in the Karaka lakes project. You might say I’ve got roots here! Certainly have an interest in seeing Papakura burgeon into the multiculturalist rich hub that it has the potential for. The transit from Hunua Rd/Settlement Rd to the Motorway is a good example of the work that needs doing. Either get public bums on Rail Transport seats or put a heavy rail link into the Industrial area in Hunua Rd (actually there’s already a spur line there that isn’t used). Question on the new subdivision being created at the foot of Keri Hill, Projected house numbers? Supporting light commercial (Dairies etc)? Schools? Public amenities? Sports and playing fields? All the things missing from Nick Smiths ‘plan’. Good on ya Ben.

Source: Budget 2015: Even PwC Stipulates Need For City Rail Link to Unlock South Auckland

 

The point made in dark red is the part Council and Auckland Transport should be paying attention to. I travel along the corridor (that also includes Beach Road) that was mentioned above regularly. The traffic especially industrial traffic there gets heavy from dawn to dusk Monday to Friday. With those new sub divisions up at Red Hill and the 340 hectare (approximate) heavy industry zoned Drury South complex coming on stream the traffic in the area is going to get a lot worse – quickly!

The northern end of the corridor requires bus lanes either side of Hollyford Drive and Redoubt Road with safety upgrades along the northern end of Mill Road. Those basic upgrades should last the area for at least a decade especially if Auckland Transport focused more on east west links in the Alfriston/Takanini area, and better utilisation of Te Irirangi Drive to get people to the Southern Motorway or the airport.

 

 

The southern end of the corridor around between Papakura and Drury in my opinion needs the larger investment basically now with those new developments I mentioned earlier coming on stream.

That means:

• Safety improvements along; Settlement Road, Hunua Road and Beach Road for the users of that road whether car, bus, truck or cyclist
• NZTA 3-lane-ing north and southbound of the Southern Motorway from Papakura Interchange to Drury Interchange. NZTA might as well whole-hog the current Southern Motorway upgrade now so that is done to the southern limits of the Rural Urban Boundary. At the same time the Drury Interchange can be upgraded which as a bonus allows the wires on the rail line for the eventual Pukekohe Electrification extension
• New road linking Drury South and southern Papakura to the Great South Road near the Drury Interchange or to the interchange directly itself. This new road gives a direct bypass to the Great South Road (that has residential flanking most of it) from the growing residential area at Red Hill and the industrial complex at Drury South. This bypass would allow trucks wanting the Southern Motorway a more efficient access point than rumbling down the Great South Road.
• At the northern end of Papakura safety improvements of Mill and Crosgrave Roads, and safety improvements along Walters Road including grade separation of the Walters Road Level Crossing.

Of course there is the public and freight transport side of the investment such as rail spurs to the Drury South industrial complex so industry can take advantage of freight rail, as well as the construction of the Drury South Rail Station.

 

 

So what do you think? Is Council and Auckland Transport focusing on the wrong end of the Redoubt/Mill Road Corridor?

I think they just might be.