Preferred alignment confirmed
We are now able to confirm the alignment of the proposed new transport route for the Petone to Grenada Link Road.
We can now confirm that the proposed new transport route will:
- Provide a four-lane route between Petone and Tawa, plus crawler lanes on the Petone side
- Run between Petone and Tawa via the Horokiwi Crest (largely avoiding homes in the Hunters Hill area
- Be constructed mostly in cut through Horokiwi to reduce visibility from Horokiwi and much of the Hutt Valley
- Create four new interchanges, providing better access on and off State Highways 1 and 2
- Avoid impacting on the Belmont Regional Park and
- Provides future highway capacity north of Tawa on SH1 within the existing highway footprint between Tawa and Transmission Gully when it is needed.
The process to determine a preferred route has been significant. The options we began with early last year have since been modified and take into account technical expert advice, differing opinions and feedback of landowners, community representatives, stakeholders and the public and to optimise the proposed new transport link.
The end result is a transport route that will address critical issues affecting day-to-day travel and future requirements, such as the ability to manage the transport network during major events or making the region more attractive to live and do business in by improving journeys between Wellington, Porirua and the Hutt Valley.
Next steps
We now need to refine our designs further as part of the process to prepare the necessary documents to apply for Resource Management Act consents. This work is underway and will continue through to late next year.
There are a number of design aspects we will be considering in further detail, including potential safety improvements at the Tawa Curves to the north of Grenada on State Highway 1. We will provide more information on these issues soon.
Part of our consent application work will be to prepare an Assessment of Environmental Effects. This will consider how we mitigate the adverse effects of the Link Road on the environment and people living in the area. This is where you, your communities and those in the Greater Wellington area get another opportunity to provide input. You can also suggest how we design the road to complement the surrounding area, inform urban design decisions, ask how we will manage construction impacts and limit operational noise, to name a few.
There will be information days and workshops that you can participate in to inform the end result and we will keep you informed by email about opportunities to get involved. We look forward to your input, if you choose to take part in this process.
At this stage, we expect to lodge our consent applications in late 2016 and, if consent is granted and funding approved, begin construction from 2019.
Related information
- Newsletter (to be provided)
- Media release (coming from Anthony)
- Map of preferred alignment
- MCA report
- Video