Drilling rig signals start of work on toll road

By MATHEW DEARNALEY

Geological drilling is beginning at the highest point of the proposed Northern Motorway extension from Orewa, as local households are asked about making it a toll road.

A helicopter lifted the drilling rig into place yesterday near the summit of Chin Hill, 150m above Waiwera on the planned route to Puhoi.

Although Transit NZ has all the land and consents it needs for the $300 million project - almost half of which it wants to bankroll from tolls - geologists and engineers are still working on a final design for the 7.5km motorway extension, with its six bridges and sweeping viaducts.

Transit and its project partners hope to start building the road in December, but must first get Government approval to make it the first section of state highway to be funded by tolls. If they fail, the project faces years of further delay.

To gain Government approval under the new Land Transport Management Act, the project partners must satisfy Transport Minister Pete Hodgson there is strong support for a toll road from people working, living or studying close to it.

Transit received 620 submissions before last week's deadline, but is surveying a similar number of households from Puhoi to the Whangaparaoa Peninsula on a plan to charge $1.80 to use the road. It will also hold hearings next month.

Auckland regional manager Wayne McDonald said the project was the most challenging under his supervision, from engineering and environmental standpoints.

Although kauri will be among regenerating native bush facing the chop, Transit intends revegetating the area with more than a million plants, right up to the carriageways.

Yesterday's helicopter operation also overlooked the site of a proposed 240m "ecoviaduct" over the Otanerua Stream above Hatfields Beach. The viaduct is being built up to 32m high to allow native birds and other wildlife to pass underneath.

However, one woman who commutes from Warkworth said Transit's survey was inadequate for not reaching that far. She said she and her neighbours would be more affected by tolls than Orewa residents, who were being surveyed but would not have to pay to get to Auckland.

Mr McDonald said there was nothing to have stopped the woman making a submission, and Transit was meeting its legal requirements by confining its survey to those living closer to the motorway.

"We are required to survey communities in the immediately affected area - we can't survey the North Island."