Frequently asked questions

Ngā pātai auau – frequently asked questions

Overall

What is the total cost for the project?

The project has NZ$830 million allocated to it.

What time savings will O Mahurangi – Penlink provide?

Time savings are dependent on several factors including time of day and location. The modelling undertaken for the tolling investigation expects a maximum saving of 22-26 minutes at peak times.

Read the report [PDF, 6.1 MB]

The road will be 80 km/h and a more direct route, so there will be a time saving but we can’t provide exact figures due to so many variables.

Construction

What are your typical work hours?

Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm.

I live nearby the project, where can I find information about upcoming works?

Nearby neighbours will be notified about upcoming work, including traffic management, via work notifications sent by email or delivered to your letterbox. If you live nearby, sign up for work notifications.

I have a question or comment about construction works, who can I talk to?

Please email the team at OMahurangi@nzta.govt.nz or call us 0800 7365 465.

Design

Why is the route only two lanes?

O Mahurangi - Penlink will be a two-lane road with a separate path for people walking or on bikes as our traffic modelling shows this is appropriate for the predicted volumes. The new highway will take traffic off Whangaparāoa Road and the modelling expects it to carry approximately 15,000 vehicles per day in the late 2020s and approximately 20,000 vehicles per day in late 2040.

The entire route including the Wēiti River Bridge is future-proofed. This means that when demand is met, the route is wide enough to accommodate two general traffic lanes and two bus shoulders. The road has been designed for an 80 km/h speed limit and will not include passing lanes. If a vehicle were to break down, there is sufficient width for the broken-down vehicle to move over and allow traffic to pass.

Is the route future-proofed?

Yes, the route including the Wēiti River Bridge is future-proofed. It is designed so that when demand requires, there is space for four-lanes – two for general traffic and two bus shoulders. The shared-user path would move to a clip on, which the bridge has been designed to support.

Why are there no north-facing ramps at SH1?

Our traffic modelling shows the primary demand for O Mahurangi - Penlink is between Whangaparāoa and Auckland to the south. The design is future-proofed to allow the addition of north-facing ramps in the future.

Noise

How will you manage construction noise?

The noise you may experience will vary. It depends on location, activity, work duration, size of the worksite, and weather conditions. We will manage our construction noise and work hours by working within consent and designation conditions and associated management plans.

“Managing construction noise” fact sheet [PDF, 515 KB]

How will you manage operational noise?

Because it is a two-lane toll road (compared to four lanes), traffic volumes will be lower and subsequently noise levels. We are also providing noise mitigation in three ways:

Quieter road surfacing (50mm thick EPA7 surfacing where required)
800mm high concrete road safety edge barriers in multiple locations
3-metre-high timber noise walls in locations where required

Environmental

Will there be any environmental impacts?

The O Mahurangi – Penlink project will involve working through pine forest, native bush, as well as local roads and communities. The works have the potential to cause environmental impacts to the local environment. However, various types of mitigation measures are used to ensure that any impacts are limited. For example, erosion and sediment controls (ESC) are used to limit environmental impact on waterways. All ESCs are designed for the specific works in question and to suit the catchment and receiving environment accordingly. Each ESC plan is also submitted to Auckland Council for approval, who visit the site fortnightly to track our compliance with the plan, consent and ESC guidelines. We are also required to undertake monitoring of all our ESC devices, as well as nearby freshwater and marine environments. This is to understand and track any changes to the environment that may be occurring.

We also work closely with relevant stakeholders such as the Department of Conservation and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. This further enhances the protection afforded to the surrounding environment and provides us additional expert advice when needed.

How we manage construction run off [PDF, 595 KB]

Check out a video on how we test a sediment retention pond(external link)

What will happen to Archer’s Block after the project?

As a result of the project, parts of Archer’s Block will benefit from restorative native planting and fenced for protection. Pest animal and weed control will also take place. These areas will be protected in perpetuity, as confirmed in our Ecological Management Plan which is certified by Auckland Council. The protection is a written legal agreement with the landowner to ensure the restoration areas are protected from development or land use change in the future.

Once the project is complete, Waka Kotahi will assess any land for its future transport need. For any areas not needed, it will go through a disposal process via the Public Works Act.

Whangaparāoa

How will you manage traffic on Whangaparāoa Road?

The O Mahurangi – Penlink intersection will be built “offline,” to the west of Whangaparaoa Road, on Crown-owned land next to the Cedar Reserve. This means that during most of the construction works, people traveling can continue to use Whangaparāoa Road. The new road layout will be built alongside it.

Nearby neighbours will be notified about upcoming work, including traffic management, via work notifications sent via email or mail. We aim to limit impact to our neighbours as much as possible.

If you live nearby, sign up for work notifications.

Will Cedar Terrace access change after construction?

Many residents have told us they avoid turning right out of Cedar Terrace. This is due to safety concerns associated with limited visibility and traffic speed. Our recent traffic count data showed less than three vehicles an hour at peak times turn right out of this intersection. Once construction is complete, Cedar Terrace access will be left-turn in and left-turn out only.

What are you doing at Scott Road?

We are investigating how to improve the safety of the intersection with Scott Road. However, this area is outside of our designation, so any decisions will be made by Auckland Transport as they manage the local road network.

Walking, cycling and public transport

Are you building a bus station as part of the project?

Currently, public transportation options are being explored by Auckland Transport. It is best to contact them with further queries.

Visit the AT website(external link) or call them on 0800 103 080.

What are the walking and cycling benefits?

There will be a shared use path the entire length of the project, allowing people walking and people on wheels to benefit from the new 7km corridor from Whangaparāoa to East Coast Road. This path will eventually tie into future growth.

The shared use path is lit between Whangaparāoa and the Duck Creek Road intersection, including on the Wēiti River Bridge. Ducting has been included all the way to East Coast Road so it can be lit in the future when the land is developed.

Contact us