Penlink

Waka Kotahi is working to ensure the protection and preservation of our environment.

As our Environmental Advisor to the Penlink project, Boffa Miskell began a 12-month environmental monitoring which includes drone surveying.

The Penlink project (‘Penlink’) will create an alternative access route to the Whangaparāoa Peninsula that will connect to State Highway 1.

Penlink is an important part of the region’s infrastructure development to facilitate the urban growth in north Auckland, particularly in Silverdale and the Whangaparāoa Peninsula.  

The objectives of Penlink are to:

• reduce traffic volumes through the Silverdale Interchange, providing transport capacity for housing developments in Wainui, Silverdale West, and development on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula
• improve connections to support economic activity in Dairy Flat and Silverdale
• support improved public transport services with more reliable journey times
• provide new and safer facilities for people on foot and on bikes
• provide greater network resilience.

Substantial growth is currently occurring and is forecast to continue in the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, Weiti, Orewa, Silverdale and surrounding areas. As an 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.

While most of the development areas can be designed to have well connected multi-modal transport choice, the peninsula has only one main access road, Whangaparāoa Road that connects the entire area to the Hibiscus Coast Highway and SH1. This geographical environment results in very limited travel choice and makes the route susceptible to congestion and incidents.

Penlink will provide a new connection between the Northern Motorway and the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, bypassing the constrained Silverdale interchange.

Auckland Transport (AT) has undertaken work to date on Penlink which includes significant engagement and consultation with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and property owners in 2010s.

Following the announcement of the NZ Upgrade Programme in late January 2020, Waka Kotahi has worked together with AT for seamless transition for Penlink and is now leading delivery of the project and will engage with the community, partners and stakeholders as a delivery agency for Penlink. AT will continue to be a key partner in the project.

NZ Upgrade Programme

• Penlink will cross over East Coast Road and connect to SH1 with a new interchange, including south facing ramps. The interchange will allow for future land development in the Weiti area that aligns with the Supporting Growth Programme(external link)
• The corridor is located slightly north of the Stillwater settlement and includes a new connection for the community, before continuing towards SH1 (Northern Motorway) just south of Dairy Flat.
• The corridor will connect to Whangaparāoa Road at Beverly Road with a new signalised intersection before crossing the Weiti River on a new bridge.
• The designation was updated by AT in late 2015 and no further changes to the designation are required.
• The corridor traverses both existing developed areas and greenfield areas.

The following components will not be part of the Penlink project:

• Local road works beyond the existing design.
• Upgrades on the existing SH1 Northern Motorway beyond the south facing ramps.