The Waterview Connection Motorway
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Waterview Connection Information Sheet THE WATERVIEW CONNECTION MOTORWAY WHEN WILL THE WATERVIEW WHAT ARE THE TRAFFIC WHAT IS THE CONNECTION OPEN TO BENEFITS OF THE WATERVIEW TRAFFIC? WATERVIEW CONNECTION? Construction is on schedule for opening in early By bridging the gap between the Southwestern CONNECTION? 2017 as planned. and Northwestern motorways, the Waterview Connection will complete Auckland’s Western Being built is 5km of 6-lane motorway Ring Route. This is a 48km motorway link from to connect State Highways 20 (the Manukau in the south to Albany in the north that Southwestern Motorway) and 16 (the WHO WILL OPERATE will bypass central Auckland. Northwestern Motorway). THE MOTORWAY? Completing the Western Ring Route has been There will be three lanes southbound and prioritised as a Road of National Significance three lanes northbound between Maioro The Well-Connected Alliance, which is building because of the contribution it will make to New Street, where S.H.20 now ends, and the the Waterview Connection, will form an alliance Zealand’s future prosperity. It will provide Auckland Great North Road interchange on S.H.16. with international tunnel controls specialists SICE NZ Ltd (Sociedad Ibérica de Construcciones with a resilient and reliable motorway network by Half of the new motorway is underground in Eléctricas) to operate and maintain the motorway reducing the region’s dependence on the single twin tunnels 2.4km long and up to 30m below for the first 10 years of its life. A team from SICE spine comprising State Highway 1 and the Auckland the surface between the Alan Wood Reserve has worked with the Well-Connected Alliance Harbour Bridge for business to business trips, in Owairaka and Waterview. throughout the project’s design and construction, access to markets and jobs, and personal travel. It to ensure that what’s built is safe and cost will therefore improve business productivity, enable effective to operate. goods to be moved more efficiently, and provide more choices for private travel. The Waterview Connection will also give HOW WILL TRAFFIC ACCESS Auckland a direct, time-saving motorway link between the central business district and the THE NEW MOTORWAY? international airport. It’s predicted it will take The new motorway will connect to State Highway up to 15 minutes off a typical CBD to airport trip. 20 at Maioro Street and to State Highway 16 at The main benefit for local communities is the the Great North Road motorway interchange. removal of through traffic from local streets. The interchange at Maioro Street is being The project also includes investment to ensure expanded to provide an on-ramp for traffic joining that local communities are left with improved the motorway here to go north and an off-ramp walking and cycling connections and higher for southbound traffic leaving the motorway. quality open spaces and recreational facilities. At its northern end, the new motorway will connect to State Highway 16 via four new ramps. The ramps will provide access to and from the east (central Auckland) and the west. They will connect directly to the northern portals of the Waterview tunnels. HOW WILL TRAFFIC ACCESS THE NEW MOTORWAY? The new motorway will connect to State Highway 20 at Maioro Street and to State Highway 16 at the Great North Road motorway interchange. RAMP 3 Wa itakere City West Auckland The interchange at Maioro Street is being to Tunnel expanded to provide an on-ramp for traffic joining the motorway here to go north and an off-ramp RAMP 4 Tunnel to for southbound traffic leaving the motorway. Central Auckland At its northern end, the new motorway will connect to State Highway 16 via four new ramps. The ramps will provide access to and from the east (central Auckland) and the west. They will Auckland City connect directly to the northern portals of the Waterview tunnels. RAMP 2 Tunnel RAMP 1 to West Central Auckland Auckland to Tunnel Northern Tunnel Portals WILL LOCAL TRAFFIC RD CARRINGTON GET ACCESS TO THE SOUTHBOUND MOTORWAY? TUNNEL GREAT NORTH RD The Waterview Connection is primarily a motorway for through traffic and there has been NORTHBOUND no provision for direct access from the residential TUNNEL areas along its route. Surface There will be relatively easy access via the Maioro Cycleway AVONDAL E Waterview interchange for people living in suburbs like New to Owairaka Windsor, Mt Roskill and Mt Albert at the southern end of the Waterview Connection. MT ALBE RT People living at the northern end - in Waterview, RICHARDSON RD NEW NORTH RD Pt Chevalier and Avondale for example – will HENDON AVE be able to access or leave the Northwestern Motorway in either direction as they do now. To go and from the new tunnels on the Southwestern Southern Motorway, they will need to use either the Tunnel Rosebank Road or St Lukes interchanges. Portals NORTHBOUND ON-RAMP SOUTHBOUND OWAIRAK A OFF-RAMP WERE LOCAL CONNECTIONS CONSIDERED? Various local connections were considered Existing O-Ramp Existing during the NZ Transport Agency’s planning and On-Ramp consultation for the Waterview Connection, STODDARD RD Richardson Rd including at New North Road and Great North motorway Road. These would have improved access overbridge between State Highway 20 and suburbs like Waterview, Avondale and Rosebank Peninsula. MAIORO ST However they also would have resulted in big increases in traffic on local streets, and possibly required removing additional homes to accommodate on and off ramps. Local access was a particular issue for Waterview RICHARDSON RD and Pt Chevalier people during the planning NEW WIND SOR hearings for the project. Many reasons for and against the ramps were put forward. The Board of Inquiry concluded that it was not Ai rpor t & SH1 practical to build more ramps at the Great North Sout h Road interchange because of space constraints. Also, there could be unacceptable environmental impacts for the Waterview and Pt Chevalier communities, including additional house removals. FREEPHONE 0508 TUNNEL(886635) www.nzta.govt.nz/waterviewconnection twitter.com/wcnow.