Petone to Grenada link under review

The planned $270 million PetoneGrenada link road is back on the drawing board after a review suggested the route would be prone to landslides, and would cost more than first thought.

The four-lane highway was proposed to significantly reduce congestion on the busiest part of State Highway 1 north of Wellington, between the capital and the northern suburb of Grenada North, as well as on SH2 to Hutt Valley.

It was planned to tie in with the completion of both the Ka¯piti expressway and Transmission Gully motorway, handling an anticipated 30,000 vehicles a day by 2031.

But yesterday the New Zealand Transport Agency said it would re-examine its plans after finding the road’s design would not meet the necessary earthquake resilience standards.

It also intends to reconsider whether an ‘‘expressway standard’’ road is needed, saying it will take another look at some of the project’s discarded options – which included routing traffic through the undeveloped Takapu Valley.

Possible changes include reducing the road’s speed limit, adjusting interchanges, and reconsidering its path through the steeper hills, all of which could potentially delay construction.

John Milford, chief executive of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, said: ‘‘This is potentially another delay in fixing the Wellington region’s infrastructure. My first reaction was of surprise, and disappointment and concern in some ways, because we at the chamber had always seen this road as an integral part of the Transmission Gully, State Highway 1 and 2 [system] ... being a key part of the infrastructure required to move vehicles and freight around the region.’’

Wellington and Lower Hutt mayors Justin Lester and Ray Wallace both looked for the positives in NZTA’s announcement, saying there was no indication the highway would not go ahead.

‘‘We are not concerned about it taking a bit longer,’’ Wallace said. ‘‘It is better to make sure that whatever road is put in is the absolute best from a resilience point of view, because it will be crucial in the aftermath of any major quake.

‘‘At this stage, no indication [has been] given that there would be any cutting back or scaling back of the project. It is what would be the best fit.’’

Transport Minister Phil Twyford stressed the project had not been put on hold. ‘‘NZTA informed me they are taking a second look and working out what improvements can be made in light of the lessons of the Kaiko¯ura earthquakes. That looks to be a smart decision.’’

A new project timeline is expected to be published early next year.