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Background | Additional Waitemata Harbour crossing | Manukau Harbour crossing | Mt Roskill extension | Waterview Connection | Western ring route tolling proposal | Motorway ramp signals

State Highway 20

Auckland City Council's role | Political liaison group | Council resolutions | Timeline

The SH20 Waterview project is the vital last link in the Western Ring Route. The SH20 Waterview project will connect SH20 Mt Roskill at Maioro Street through Avondale, Mt Albert and Waterview, to the northwestern motorway SH16 at Waterview.

Once completed, the Western Ring Route will create an alternative north-south route between the south, central and west of the region by linking three state highways, the southwestern (SH20), the northwestern motorway (SH16) and the upper harbour drive (SH18).

Auckland City Council has consistently supported the completion of SH20, subject to mitigation and enhancement measures that contribute to or facilitate the strategic outcomes for the city. A list of conditions is contained in the most recent Council resolutions on the SH20 project.

To find out more about NZ Transport Agency's SH20 Waterview Connection, go to www.sh20.co.nz.

Auckland City Council's role

Whilst NZTA is responsible for the state highway network, including the completion of SH20 Waterview, the Council is responsible for the local transport network and will undertake work to ensure people have effective and efficient travel choices. The council will also make sure that the needs of the community, both current and future, are considered and reflected in NZTA's plans through careful planning and design.

The Council also plays a regulatory role by ensuring that NZTA complies with both the Land Transport Management Act and the Resource Management Act. This includes promoting improvements that contribute to the Council's strategic outcomes, such as urban form, linking communities, open space, and social and community issues.

Political liaison group

Group members | Meeting summaries

The Council has established a political liaison group to assist in identifying all local issues relating to the motorway project.  The political liaison group elected representatives to gain information and raise local communities concerns with NZTA directly.

Group members

The political liaison group meets regularly and includes councillors, community board members from each ward affected by SH20, and relevant officials from Auckland City Council and NZ Transport Agency.

To contact your political liaison group representative about any concerns or issues you may have about SH20 Waterview, please use the details below:

Alternatively, you can request to speak at the public forum sessions at one of the regular or special community board meetings.

Meeting summaries

The political liaison group meets to discuss issues on behalf of local communities and have input into NZ Transport Agency's design of the Waterview connection for State Highway 20. A summary of issues discussed at each meeting are listed below.

November 2009

The November meeting of the political liaison group discussed on the following matters:

  • discussions with the Environmental Protection Authority, including support for local communities in the submission process
  • discussions with Unitec and Metro soccer club, as part of future planning processes
  • an indicative layout of possible New North Rd ramps for investigation purposes
  • the need to ensure upcoming NZTA consultation material is not released within the Christmas period
  • an update on motorway designs, including progress on geological testing and tunnel alignment plans
  • discussions planned with Ontrack and ARTA regarding the provision for a station at Stoddard towncentre
  • Indicative concepts showing possible open space areas at Hendon Ave, to be updated following confirmed SH20 plans
  • Indicative network of SH20 cycleway and various pedestrian connections along the corridor, to be updated following confirmed SH20 plans. 

October 2009

The October meeting of the political liaison group discussed on the following matters:

  • an intention to allow each Community Board to manage its own PLG representation
  • an update on the NZTA Board's confirmation of the combined surface tunnel alignment
  • a Council investigation of opportunities for community projects as part of mitigation for project
  • clarity on how the public will be sufficiently included in any designation "call in" process under the new Environmental Protection Agency
  • an update on the tunnel design under Great North Rd and plans for ventilation buildings at Waterview interchange
  • planned improvements to SH16 and likely issues, including coastal and open space impacts, and the need to upgrade St Lukes Rd interchange
  • the need for more information on NZTA community engagement plans, to ensure public are appropriately involved in project processes
  • a request for Council's elected representatives to be on NZTA's distribution list, so they are aware of information distributed to the community.

September 2009

The September meeting of the political liaison group discussed the following matters:

  • confirmation of the Council's submission to NZTA to support the new proposal in principle, with conditions based on key themes of affected communities, open space, urban form, linking communities and social and community
  • eight key areas highlighted by the Council for mitigation and enhancement; noting the PLG's preference for a twin bored tunnel was included in the submission report
  • an update on the recent NZTA board resolution to defer a decision on the project, pending further advice on the issues raised and how they will be addressed
  • a summary of NZTA's consultation processes - 465 submissions from individuals and 27 from stakeholder groups, with the top three  issues raised: air quality (38%), open space loss (35%), noise (33%)
  • an announcement that NZTA will be undertaking 'percussion' ground condition testing in next few weeks, and any noise queries or complaints should be directed to NZTA
  • an update on design progress, with recent workshops held between NZTA and Council staff, and updated designs will be presented to future PLG meetings
  • a request for a presentation to the PLG on noise issues once the design and modelling is sufficiently advanced.

July 2009

The July meeting of the political liaison group discussed the following matters:

  • an update on the Council's design and investigation processes, including an urban design review
  • an update on design issues from NZTA, including information on the use of strata titles for tunnelled sections of the route
  • a discussion of the draft resolutions to be presented to the Transport Committee, including reiterating the PLG's preference for full bored tunnels
  • suggested changes to the resolutions, including the artistic treatment of ventilation stacks, further reference to noise impacts and air quality, treating archaeological sites with respect and building replacement family housing prior to motorway construction.

June 2009

The June meeting of the political liaison group discussed the following matters:

  • an update on design issues from NZTA, including aspirations to extend motorway cover as much as possible
  • the release of a Ministerial briefing paper on the three motorway options reviewed
  • Initial issues raised by the public and community boards, including open space, replacement housing, interchanges and air quality
  • the need to further investigate issues such as flood management, strata titles around tunnels and preferred pedestrian/cyclist connections
  • the drafting of the Council's resolution on the project, to be brought to the next PLG meeting.

May 2009

The May meeting of the political liaison group discussed on the following matters:

  • an update of the alignment options reviewed by NZTA and the new preferred option announced recently
  • statutory issues regarding potential new RMA processes for NOR lodging, including possible 'call in' by the Minister
  • workstreams to address various project issues, including urban design/mitigation processes, an updated council resolution or new projects
  • a discussion of known project issues and the need for PLG members to raise community concerns with council officers and NZTA
  • identifying additional information requirements from NZTA to assist future PLG meetings.

September 2008

The September meeting of the political liaison group discussed on the following matters:

  • council's preparations for the lodging of the SH20 Waterview designation and resource consents, including working with the ARC to co-ordinate processes
  • preparation of a package of integrated projects related to the motorway project
  • the outcomes of the government's Public Private Partnership report and next steps
  • development of an Urban Design Framework to best manage land use changes at the two tunnel portals
  • how NZTA is handling air quality investigations and planning, including public workshops
  • queries regarding traffic counts, tunnel design speeds and incident management, and pedestrian/cycle connections.

May 2008

The May meeting of the political liaison group discussed on the following matters:

  • confirmation of the council's submission to conditionally support the SH20 Waterview tunnel proposal
  • preliminary results from the recent NZ Transport Agency consultation process
  • feedback from Cr Raffills and Duncan Macdonald on the new Reference Group run by NZ Transport Agency
  • potential for the establishment of a community liaison group to manage tunnel ventilation issues
  • possible construction management issues, including impacts of temporary road closures, if necessary
  • timeline for NZ Transport Agency Board to consider submissions and make decision on tunnel proposal.

March 2008

Following a period during which NZ Transport Agency significantly revised the motorway project, the group met twice in March to discuss the recent proposal for a tunnelled option. The meetings included discussion on the following issues:

  • local concerns for the council to consider as part of making a submission to NZ Transport Agency within the current public consultation period
  • tunnel portal land use and air quality issues
  • impacts on the local schools and residential areas
  • open space, heritage and walking/cycling issues
  • tunnel management and tolling issues, and the impacts on the surrounding road network
  • projects the council will be required to undertake to accompany the motorway project.

A memo was prepared to present to the Transport Committee, containing issues raised by the political liaison group. This was considered by the committee prior to it making its decision on the council's submission.

Council resolutions

Auckland City Council supports in principle NZ Transport Agency's proposed new alignment for State Highway 20 Waterview, subject to mitigation and enhancement measures that contribute to or facilitate the strategic outcomes of the city. This decision was made on 6th August 2009 and there are eight key areas where mitigation and enhancement has been identified as required:

  • Ensuring that affected residents and the wider community are fairly recompensed
  • Reconstruction of Great North Road as a boulevard with bus and cycle lanes - inclusion of bus lanes, cycle lanes, improved landscaping and greater pedestrian access
  • Careful treatment of tunnel air emissions – location of ventilation stacks away from sensitive areas, and cleaning/filtering of emissions
  • Quality open space replacement and enhancement at Waterview and through Owairaka/Mt Albert - high quality replacement of open space functions within local area, adequate provision of sports fields, protection of Oakley Creek
  • Protection and enhancement of Oakley Creek - an enhanced ecological esplanade along the length of Oakley Creek, with greater public access
  • Providing for built form along the planned Richardson Rd bridge edges and Hendon Ave  - reducing severance, and encouraging appropriate land uses and an enhanced urban environment, including open space
  • Local access along and across the corridor - providing new pedestrian/cycle paths along and bridges across the transport corridor, to reduce community severance
  • Ensuring that international best practise in catering for light spill is followed through the whole route including junctions.

Auckland City Council will continue to work with NZTA to resolve project issues and report back to the Transport Committee and the Eden/Albert, Avondale, Mt Roskill and Western Bays Community Boards on a regular basis as necessary. Council officers will also advance discussions with NZTA regarding funding subsidies for transport projects that are impacted or required as a package of transport improvements to accompany the SH20 Waterview project.

The Council's submission in detail is as follows:

Auckland City Council supports the New Zealand Transport Agency's SH20 Waterview proposed alignment in principle, subject to mitigation and enhancement measures that contribute to or facilitate the strategic outcomes for the city, including but not limited to:

1) Affected Communities

  • Ensuring that affected residents and wider communities are fairly compensated
  • Consult with the community re the desire to have a central interchange close to Avondale and advocate strongly in support of the communities desires noting that not having a centrally situated interchange imposes additional costs on the Auckland ratepayers

2) Urban Form

  • Application of the Council's Urban Design Framework principles
  • Alignment with Future Planning Framework objectives
  • Reducing the visual and environmental impacts of the project
  • Enabling the development of appropriate land uses and an enhanced urban environment around the tunnel portals and along the corridor
  • Ensuring integration with the future development of State Highway 16
  • Working with regional partners to deliver an integrated and phased urban form, land use and transport package
  • Enclosing of the open section of motorway adjacent to the Great North Road/Blockhouse Bay Road intersection
  • Providing for continuous built edges along both sides of Richardson Road bridge and Hendon Ave
  • Ensuring that international best practice in catering for light spill is followed through the whole route including junctions
  • Ensuring, to the extent practicable, all surfaces built so as to minimise noise

3) Linking Communities

  • Reconstructing Great North Rd along Waterview Straight to provide a 'boulevard' effect, with additional bus lanes, cycle lanes, improved landscaping and greater pedestrian access along and across the route
  • Ensuring quality access between the future rail connections and proposed station at Stoddard town centre and the surrounding community
  • Improve local connectivity by constructing new pedestrian/cycle bridges across Oakley Creek and the transport corridor at New Windsor
  • Providing a new continuous walking/cycling connection from the current SH20 cycleway to the existing SH16 cycleway
  • Maintaining cycleway and pedestrian access through the upgraded Waterview interchange
  • Ensuring international best practice in tunnel monitoring, air quality, deluge sprinklers, motorist/pedestrian emergency exits and safety areas
  • Consulting with affected parties within the community re a new link road to Unitec to incorporate vehicles, cycling and pedestrians and to advocate strongly for the type of connection as appropriate

4) Open Space

a) Provide a quality open space network by:

  • ensuring access to the open space network is of a quality that enables easy, safe and desirable access by the community and includes an Oakley creek walk and cycle network and connections to broader networks
  • ensuring there is adequate provision of sports fields within the local area, and that any replacement sports fields must be of equal or better quality to maintain or improve current provision
  • ensuring the Oakley Creek open space corridor is not fragmented or disconnected through the removal or the degradation of open space

b) Respect the natural landscape by:

  • ensuring the presence of the motorway within the landscape is minimal and its mitigation is integrated into the surrounding landscape
  • maintaining the Oakley creek as a continuously open waterway from Dominion Rd to the Waitemata harbour
  • where possible integrate the Council's catchment stormwater management needs within the motorway design
  • ensuring the provision of an ecological esplanade along the length of Oakley Creek, Motions Creek and the coastal edge
  • protecting natural landforms and features, including the volcanic field, and the natural environmental functions of waterways
  • ensuring motorway mitigation planting contributes to the city's urban forest
  • ensuring a modern and integrated approach to flood management and stormwater treatment

5) Social and Community

  • Ensuring improved social, economic, community and environmental outcomes for impacted communities by providing replacement and enhanced community facilities in the local area
  • Ensuring that tunnel air emissions are cleaned and filtered prior to being discharged and are not located adjacent to sensitive areas, to minimise health, visual and noise effects
  • Working with regional partners to ensure the on-going operation of local schools, kindergartens and community facilities
  • Investigating the use of surplus NZTA land for transport, business or community use
  • Enabling the continued protection of corridor heritage and archaeological sites, maintaining and improving public access to and interpretation of those sites
  • Ensuring that replacement residential housing, particularly family homes, is provided within the local community
  • Providing noise assessments and mitigation at the tunnel portals and open motorway sections
  • Ensuring that social and community support services are provided to assist people during the transition to move to their new post-motorway environment and help strengthen and rebuild the community following completion of the project

Timeline

Detailed plans for the alignment are being developed by the New Zealand Transport Agency. These plans include confirming the footprint required for State Highway 20 Waterview. To find out more timing information visit www.sh20.co.nz

To find out more about the NZ Transport Agency's transport planning in Auckland visit the NZ Transport Agency website.

 

Updated November 2009
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