Tag: Manukau

Mayor Supports South East Highway

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Mayor Supports Redoubt Road – Mill Road Arterial

 

Last month in my “ROAD PLAN CONCERNS” post I had noted Auckland Transport‘s continued progress on moving towards the construction of the 4-lane “bypass” from the Manukau Motorway Interchange (with State Highway 1) along Redoubt Road, down Mill Road, around the back of eastern Papakura and reconnecting with State Highway One near Drury.

The respective post had a commentary piece from the NZ Herald as well as links to the Auckland Transport web portal on work thus far with this new four lane corridor plan. Also of mention was: the said corridor is both close to home (being in Papakura and five minutes away from the southern end of the soon-mentioned corridor) and I often use to skip-pass a section of the Southern Motorway when it backs up (usually in the afternoons) BR:AKL will take a look at the situation, then later on post an alternative proposal to the scheme.

 

Now I will resume working on that alternative proposal and will publish after my return from the Australian holiday starting next week. Work on the Manukau Rail North Link situation (which resulted in a compromise and win) as well as a pending mega project had taken much of my time recently however most of that is now finished (for now).

 

This morning however, I note Councillor George Wood picking up on comments from Mayor Len Brown (who lives 30 seconds from the said corridor) on his support for the corridor project.

From Stuff.co.nz

Manukau to Drury four-lane highway supported by mayor

SCOTT MORGAN

A four-lane highway that would connect Manukau with Drury has the backing of mayor Len Brown.

The Redoubt Rd-Mill Rd corridor needs land that is now occupied by homes and farms to progress.

Auckland Transport is finalising the route the $246 million first stage of the Redoubt corridor will take. It is an alternative arterial route to the southern motorway.

The road is expected to take more than 20 years to complete and has been subject to opposition from local residents’ groups.

Mr Brown has to declare a conflict of interest whenever decisions are made about how the project will move forward because he lives in the area.

“I’m in the way of it.”

But as leader of the city he supports the idea.

“It’s critical that we get this work done.”

There is a strategic need for the growing communities of Papakura, Alfriston and East Tamaki to be able to connect through the eastern side of the isthmus, he says.

Mr Brown says he is concerned about the effect plans for the 20-year project appear to be having on people’s lives.

But progress on new infrastructure needs to happen now, he says.

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You can go see the rest of the article over at Stuff

 

But you can see the Mayor has thrown his support behind this large and long-winded project. With the corridor inching at a snail’s pace and seeming unable to be stopped in its entirety the next step (and I am aiming to try this through the alternative proposal) to mitigate against the worst of effects from the corridor and aim for a full integrated transport package.

More to come as it happens

 

Update on Manukau North Link

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Progress Does Happen Folks

 

You will remember in posts that I will be at Strategy and Finance Committee tomorrow giving my presentation on some questions I would like the Committee to ask Auckland Transport tomorrow in regards to the Manukau North Link. For express mode I’ll provide the link to those questions HERE for your reading. And before someone mentions it again I do realise the language was strong on page three of the question list. I do apologse for the strong language used there that was unintended when the questions were sent – the issue around Manukau is an emotive one especially for those living in the Manurewa, Papakura and Franklin Local Board areas.

 

But I do not want to get caught up with semantics here as I had a conversation with Auckland Council Principle Transport Planner – Josh Arbury after the Transport Committee this morning. I won’t delve into the conversation much as I will basically allow the committee to happen and have everything recorded on the official Minutes before commenting again. However Auckland Transport have seen my questions and done their homework and I am satisfied that (unless someone bungled the physical delivery of the answers) the questions will be answered adequately tomorrow. By adequate I mean that unless someone has a change of heart in the next 18 hours a compromise has been sort (as I actually did want) and for me – that cursed mast that is in the way of the potential South Link should be moved out of the road in the duplication works saving time and hassle later. As for operations (timetables) which were also asked in my questions, we will come to that bridge when it happens but at least AT are aware of concerns especially around the triple transfer with Pukekohe passengers until the electrics are able to get to Pukekohe.

 

Again I will delve into this tomorrow but those who use to remember the Otahuhu to Britomart Shuttles via the Eastern Line will be interested to know operations wise (although we shall get full clarification as such) but those shuttles will be basically back but extended to Manukau. These shuttles are extremely useful when running ahead of a Papakura or Pukekohe to Britomart service to take the pressure off the inner stations for those longer “full” services as those trains are usually full half way into the trip. The shuttles also done properly allow for high frequency of services at the inner stations which is a boon to passengers 😀

 

So tomorrow is a formality where I ask the questions for the public record and AT or Mr Arbury reply to those questions also for public record before the Strategy and Finance Committee. I would ask the Committee to allow the reallocation as AT has asked for – so long as they move that mast out of the South Link’s way. I no longer object to the North Link Duplication.

 

Progress folks – it does happen

 

And a thank you to Mr Arbury for his time this morning 🙂

 

As for Transport Committee today, I saw councillors get their pitch forks out when asking Auckland Transport questions today o_O

THE MANUKAU INTERCHANGE – Work Resumed?

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Work Resumed on the Stalled MIT and Manukau Transport Interchange Building?

 

 

Last Friday before heading to up north for a spectacular weekend away chill-laxing I popped in Manukau to do some last-minute shopping (as you do). As I was coming down State Highway One to approach the Manukau turn-off I noticed the Mainzeal crane was actually working at the MIT and Manukau Transport Interchange site. I thought to myself; “Okay, have we started again?” As I have covered in previous posts such as the “THE MANUKAU INTERCHANGE – FROM THE HILL” work has stalled at the site leaving the place like a mess and an eye sore.

 

Here are the recent photos from the site with the crane actually working

2013-02-22 12.55.04

 

 

2013-02-22 12.54.59

 

Click pictures for full resolution

 

So a good sign that the crane was working and workers milling around? In this case it is a no. I went up to the fence at the site entrance to have a closer look and saw no construction trucks of any kind. What was happening is that the crane was lifting down portable generators and other construction equipment into trucks and the subsequent equipment being taken off site.

Umm not so good as that means the site is now pretty much abandoned with a small squad of security guards posted at the entrance gate keeping a watch. It also means Auckland Transport will not be opening their new transport interchange at the same site in June (which was already a delayed date – the interchange was meant to be open next month) if I read their February Board Meeting Agenda properly.

 

To add a new twist to this I am reading that the Auckland Council Governing Body is having its meeting at the Manukau Civic Building which is where I had my RPTP hearing earlier AND is right next to the MIT site. Now is the mayor and councillors going to take the train from Britomart to Manukau Station (which is under the MIT building site) and back again for this meeting or they going to chicken out and take cars? While at the Civic Building I wonder if George, Sharon and Dick will take the rest of the Governing Body to the MIT eye sore and show the rest of the Councillors and Mayor what South Auckland is currently lugged with. I might show up as the tour guide just to emphasis a point to boot.

 

Regular updates from the Manukau Interchange will occur until the building is finally complete. In the meantime it really does look like an eye sore from the outside AND inside…