Link road will be vital

Richard Cole claims (Your Views, May 19) that, in the wake of the May 14 flooding, the NZ Transport Agency is underinvesting in State Highway 2. He goes on to criticise the Petone to Grenada project.

It is important to recognise that Petone to Grenada is a fundamentally crucial investment in the future of State Highway 2, because SH2 cannot work to its full potential without effective connections.

Petone to Grenada will make SH2 more free flowing by creating more efficient connections to the west and a new Petone Interchange, while reducing traffic heading to and from SH58.

Crucially, people will have an alternative route between Wellington and Hutt Valley. Such a route was sorely lacking during the flooding.

There is no foundation for the claim that the project would cause a ‘‘waterfall to hurtle down the hill’’.

It will be built with modern drainage systems, the interchange will sit above flood levels, and the project will enable us to investigate and potentially address the very flooding problems that caused SH2 to close.

Also unfounded is the claim that a seaside cycleway would be ‘‘pummelled by water coming off the hills’’.

In fact, such a cycleway, if progressed, could provide a buffer between the sea and the rail and road corridor to prevent the kind of disruption that occurred in the June 2013 storm.

We are also working closely with Greater Wellington and Hutt City Councils to sort out transport and flood risk issues at Melling, and we’re proposing a new SH258 interchange and exploring other improvements up and down SH2.

We recognise the extensive frustration that the May 14 flooding caused. Improving the highway network is not an overnight job, and we stress that the extreme weather of May 14 would test any transport system. We will continue to work with our transport partners to give the people of Hutt Valley a safe, efficient and resilient State Highway 2 lifeline. to me about a plan to remedy the situation. It did not proceed due the cost and I have heard nothing since.

Myself and two adjacent neighbours were affected by the flooding this month, and probably more residents too.

This issue has existed for over 15 years. If council can find money to spend on a war memorial outside the library and bringing the Phoenix football team to Lower Hutt then why can’t it spend money on known infrastructure problems?

I understand the council spent $155,000 bringing the Phoenix here for three games.

This is ridiculous when serious drainage problems exist.