O Mahurangi – Penlink will form a vital transport link in north Auckland as more people live and work in Silverdale, Whangaparāoa and the Hibiscus Coast. The new two-lane road and shared walking and cycling path will provide improved travel times between Whangaparāoa and wider Auckland.
Come along to one of our community drop-in sessions to meet the team and learn more about the project. We’ll have info on upcoming work near Whangaparāoa Road and how it may impact you.
O Mahurangi – Penlink community drop-in information flyer
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Tuesday 5 Sept. 2023, 4:00 pm-7:00 pm Manly Bowling Club (56 Laurence Street, Manly, Whangaparāoa 0943 |
Saturday 30 Sept. 2023, 10:00 am-1:00 pm Hibiscus Coast RSA (43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, Whangaparāoa 0932) |
O Mahurangi – Penlink is one of the important first steps to providing people in north Auckland with real choice in the way they travel and help improve climate outcomes by providing for transport capacity and for people to travel on foot or by bike.
Substantial growth is forecast in the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, Wēiti, Orewa, Silverdale and surrounding areas. For example, in Silverdale-Dairy Flat, around 15,000 new homes are expected to be built over the next 30 years, with 6,000 of these built over the next decade.
The two-lane connection will provide capacity for existing residents and future housing developments in the area, supporting:
The need for a new connection to the Whangaparāoa Peninsula has a long history. In the 1980s the idea for the ‘Wēiti Crossing,’ or a bridge across the Wēiti River connecting Stillwater to Whangaparāoa, was first identified.
Rodney District Council decided that a new access corridor from East Coast Road to Whangaparāoa Peninsula was the best option. This would address both transport and land-use needs. The idea for the corridor became known as ‘Penlink’ (shortened from Peninsula Link). A scheme design and work to protect the land corridor for O Mahurangi – Penlink followed.
The designation, construction and operational resource consents were approved in 2001. The designation allowed for the construction and operation of the two-lane road and the ability to buy the land required. The council was unable to secure funding for O Mahurangi – Penlink despite the transport need for the project.
Following the establishment of Auckland Council in 2010, Auckland Transport took on the O Mahurangi – Penlink project. In the 2010s, there was significant engagement with a range of partners, stakeholders and property owners.
On January 2020, the Government announced O Mahurangi – Penlink as a NZ Upgrade Programme initiative. They appointed Waka Kotahi as the delivery agent for the project. In June 2021, the Government confirmed funding for the full delivery of the project. The two-lane, proposed toll road is due to start construction in 2023.
In June 2022, HEB, Fulton Hogan, Aurecon and Tonkin + Taylor gathered with Waka Kotahi to sign an agreement. The group became an alliance to construct the O Mahurangi – Penlink project.
At the alliance signing ceremony, Mana Whenua gifted the name O Mahurangi to the project. The name recognises the ancestress Mahurangi, a tohunga (priestess) who lived in Hawaiiki. The powers of Mahurangi enabled the construction of the great voyaging waka Tainui.
The following components will not be part of the O Mahurangi – Penlink project:
