2014 Too Far Out for Victoria Park Tunnel
Media release, 21 September 2005
The NZ Council for Infrastructure Development is pleased to see testing started on the proposed tunnel under Victoria
Park but says the planned start in 2008 and completion by 2014 is simply too far off.
"The existing viaduct across Victoria Park is a major bottle neck for SH1 and the motorway network, NZCID CEO Stephen
Selwood says.
"Each day, northbound traffic is backed up on the Southern Motorway in the afternoons from as early as 3.00 o'clock and
remains heavily congested most days until 7.00pm.
"Much of this is due to the lack of capacity across the viaduct which ripples right down the network.
"We see no reason why the Victoria Park cut and cover tunnel should take three years to start and six years to build.
"Much larger projects in Sydney and Melbourne are being completed in far less time (see attached table).
"Australia's largest roading project, the $2.5 billion 40km ConnectEast freeway in Melbourne started construction
earlier this year. It had a one year consents process and is due to open in 2008, the same year Auckland's Victoria Park
project is planned to begin.
"We cannot understand why it will take three years to even start the project, especially when Transit are planning to
build a cut and cover tunnel within the existing motorway designation.
"The St Mary's Bay Association is generally supportive, subject to protection of the cliffs, which is entirely
understandable. Auckland City considers it a priority, as do North Shore City, and the ARC is ready to consider
environmental consents.
'What's needed is for all of the parties to get around the table and agree the means to advance the project for
completion by 2010, at the latest," Selwood says.
Major Urban Tolls Roads in Australia Built in Much Shorter Time Frames
Project -- Length -- km -- A$m Value -- Start -- Finish
Sydney M4 -- 12.5 -- 246 -- 1988 -- 1992
Sydney M5 -- 21.0 -- 380 -- 1988 -- 1992
Sydney Harbour Tunnel -- 3.0 -- 685 -- 1988 -- 1992
Sydney M2 -- 20.0 -- 644 -- 1994 -- 1997
Sydney Eastern Distributor -- 6.0 -- 700 -- 1997 -- 1999
Sydney Cross City Tunnel -- 2.1 -- 680 -- 2000 -- 2005
Sydney Westlink M7 -- 40.0 -- 1,500 -- 2002 -- 2006
Sydney Lane Cove Tunnel -- 3.6 -- 1,100 -- 2002 -- 2007
Melbourne City Link -- 22.0 -- 1,780 -- 1996 -- 2000
Melbourne Connect East -- 40.0 -- 2,500 -- 2005 -- 2008
Total -- 170.2 -- $A10,215