Council agrees on road submission
The Kāpiti Coast District Council has agreed on the details of their submission to NZTA on the expressway options, Mayor Jenny Rowan said today.
“We propose completion of the two-lane Western Link, continued improvements to the rail network for passengers and freight and improvements to State Highway 1 to remove impediments to traffic flow including, removing traffic lights and four laning as and when necessary.
“Based on NZTA’s own traffic projections, this set of options provides the Minister with the long term 50-year solution he is seeking to the roading issues through Kāpiti. It will cause the least disruption to people’s lives and be finished earlier than his five to 10-year timeline” Mayor Jenny Rowan said.
“The Council was strong in its view there is no need for the State Highway to be of a motorway / expressway standard through Kāpiti,” the Mayor said.
"We believe there are significant improvements which can be delivered in a proactive rather than reactive way.”
However, it took the casting vote of the Mayor for the Council to accept that, if NZTA chooses to proceed with a motorway, the eastern option is the least unacceptable. It still requires serious mitigation of the effects of the current proposal.
“We believe the proposition we’re presenting to NZTA and the Minister is one where the two-lane Western Link will take 24% of traffic off the State Highway in less than four years, less time than it will take to even finish planning and design of any other option,” Mayor Rowan said.
“Then there’s the opportunity for NZTA to deal quickly with the main choke point of Waikanae lights, where a Te Moana Road underpass and removal of the traffic lights is urgently required with the extension of train services to Waikanae in 12 months time. Follow that with a larger project to deal with the Paraparaumu traffic lights and that extends the time horizon considerably and removes the main congestion points.
“The Council’s resolution refers to four-laning as and when necessary. We believe the four-laning required can be undertaken over time and staged to minimise disruption to through traffic and to properties with boundaries on the state highway.
“The Council’s submission accepts the necessity for a bypass at Ōtaki but proposes some moderate changes to the route and the intersections to improve the outcomes for the Ōtaki economy and for the local residents.
“We’re confident we have a package which will help the Minister achieve his objectives faster and with less disruption,” Jenny Rowan said.
Related Articles: