Foreshore safe from bulldozing
‘‘The East West project will not undo any of the work that the Transport Agency funded.’’
No part of a $30 million foreshore restoration will be bulldozed in the construction of a new motorway connection in Auckland.
The East-West Connection is a New Zealand Transport Agency initiative that aims to address issues with transport between major industrial hubs of Auckland city – part of it is improving the connection between Onehunga and Penrose.
NZME originally reported NZTA is proposing to create a 5.5km road that would run through the recently developed Onehunga foreshore.
Following the article, NZTA released a statement saying it has no intention of bulldozing or undoing any of the work it carried out in constructing the foreshore.
‘‘The East West project will not undo any of the work that the Transport Agency funded and is proud to have helped complete in November last year to reconnect the Onehunga community with the foreshore again,’’ NZTA Auckland highway manager Brett Gliddon says.
‘‘Many of the community facilities that are part of the $30m Onehunga Foreshore development will in fact be replicated further east along the harbour as part of the EastWest project.’’
Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board chair Simon Randall says the foreshore was future-proofed to accommodate for the construction of the East-West Connection.
‘‘We knew about the East-West Connection before we carried out the restoration of the foreshore and it was accounted for it in the design.
‘‘There is no way there will be a motorway through it and we have worked with NZTA from the early stages on this.’’
Randall says State Highway 20 will be widened but it will be within the existing designation.
Onehunga Enhancement Society chair Jim Jackson is calling for a master plan to be put into place that takes into account all major developments occurring in the area.
Gliddon says NZTA is working closely with Auckland Council and Panuku and it will not block access to any future port development.
‘‘Providing this access has always been part of the project plans.
‘‘We...will continue to work closely with Panuku Development Auckland to progress a design which enhances access to the wharf, enables future development and considers... impacts on the surrounding environment.’’