NZ’s busiest transport corridor a key to climate resilience.
In this opinion piece, Brett Gliddon, Waka Kotahi’s Group General Manager Transport Services, discusses the importance of new harbour crossing connections in Auckland.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge is the most important single transport connection in Aotearoa New Zealand and is one of the most travelled routes in the country.
Yet recent events have highlighted the vulnerability of this corridor to more frequent and severe weather – and left Kiwis counting the cost in terms of lost productivity and frustration at the lack of transport reliability.
The high winds of Cyclone Gabrielle in February caused the bridge to close for safety reasons. In September 2020 two trucks blew over in wind gusts causing structural damage to the bridge and up to four lanes to close for two weeks. It’s estimated that up to 150,000 freight journeys were disrupted by the bridge strike alone.
These events are compounded by the bridge being an ageing structure, requiring more regular maintenance, putting further pressure on a constrained network and a growing population particularly on the North Shore who are - rightly - wanting reliable, accessible transport choice.
I am under no illusion as to the task ahead: to deliver a project that improves connectivity across the harbour – a task being undertaken by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport, Auckland Council and Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau partners.
This means determining the best option to get people, freight and utilities across the Waitematā harbour in a way that’s best for the city and the country and, critically, one that improves resilience.
To achieve this, all options need to provide choice, reliability and efficiency. We already know that whatever solution is ultimately delivered will be multi-modal. There will be options for walking and cycling, light rail, for moving freight as well as for buses and cars.
With Auckland’s population set to hit two million by the end of the decade, additional harbour connections are a must-have. Recent public engagement shows almost every Aucklander has travelled over the Auckland Harbour Bridge in the last 12 months.
While 30 per cent of those that currently cross the harbour use public transport, 88 per cent said they would catch a bus or a train across if they could.
Not only is the need clear, there is an expectation. Fifty per cent of Aucklanders use the bridge every week and expect that it will be supplemented with an alternative connection, providing much needed resilience for the city’s transport network.
Crossing options for Te Waitematā, including bridges, tunnels, and a combination of the two, have been looked at in tandem with how the existing Auckland Harbour Bridge is best incorporated. We’re now seeking public feedback on these options.
Among things to consider are what kind of scenarios are the most viable to both meet the needs of Auckland’s commuters and freight operators - who are frequently caught in congestion in off-peak times – while reducing carbon emissions.
Walking and cycling, along with light rail, are must-haves as we move towards a more climate-friendly future. A light rail connection is being developed across Auckland to integrate with the wider rapid transit network and accommodate the growing demand for passenger services.
Walking and cycling will join the growing active mode network already built to the north and south of the city.
In the planning of new harbour connections, we have a huge opportunity to build a transport system that supports urban development and intensification, and works for the future of the city’s commuters, mana whenua, the economy and the climate.
This project will shape the future of the city, and has the potential to deliver an impact the whole country will benefit from - ending our reliance on a single connection that’s beholden to the weather.
Now’s the time to have your say.
Waka Kotahi is seeking feedback on scenarios for crossing Te Waitematā. The online survey is open until Monday May 1.