SH 20 - Avondale-Waterview Extension

Revised AW2 Option

(As at September 2006)

The AW2 proposal would take SH20 under the Great North Road, emerging at the lower part of Heron Park, then veering right to follow the coast in a straight line; finally connecting with SH16 between the mouth of the Oakley Creek and the causeway bridge.

Features:

It should be built on reclaimed land and structures over the Oakley Creek.
* A southern on-ramp and a northern off-ramp could be situated at intersection of Blockhouse Bay and Great North Roads.
* The existing on- and off-ramps at Pt Chevalier would remain.
* To mitigate noise aspects a high wall on the eastern side of the Motorway should help.
* To mitigate visual aspects the eastern side of the wall should be heavily planted.
* To mitigate the loss of marine reserve, in the two bays a natural wetland area should be constructed that could filter stormwater runoff prior to emptying into the sea; this area could attract wildlife eg Pukeko.
* To enhance the Waterview area a cycle / walkway should then be constructed following the coastline from Heron Park to the Oakley Creek mouth, link up with existing green space, cross the Great North Road and back up the Oakley Creek. This would then be an asset to Auckland City.

It appears to me from reading DOC reports and other material that very little study has been done on the Motu Manawa Marine Reserve. What studies have been done concentrated on Pollen Island and the area northwards of the causeway -- this area should not be impacted by AW2. Where as “to the south of the embankment the enclosed inlet contains soft muds with relatively few species”.

Mangrove would regenerate on the western side of the Motorway. The existing causeway is to be raised and widened shortly so reclamation could be done at the same time. Material from tunnelling under Heron Park could be used in the reclamation for SH20 and the causeway.

An AW2 route is considerably cheaper to construct, and leaves the bulk of the Oakley Creek green space for future generations. Bare minimum of housing needed to be taken and will involve least disruption to the community during and after construction while achieving the desired Western Ring Route connection.