Infrastructure New Zealand has welcomed the Government’s announcement of progress to advance a second Waitematā Harbour crossing but is seeking assurance that assessment work already done is not wasted.
“The preparation work the Government has announced today is vital to achieving a second harbour crossing and will help provide us with the relevant geotechnical and engineering information to make an informed decision on the best solution to progress with,” says Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive, Nick Leggett.
“However, much work has already been undertaken over the decades to assess options. Our plea to NZTA is, don’t throw all that out, start from the work done and best utilise the investment already made, in some cases quite recently.”
“Inevitably this will be a multi-billion project and one of the biggest in our country’s history, so it is critical we get decisions right before shovels are in the ground.”
On Friday, the Government laid out next steps toward building another harbour crossing, with Transport Minister, Chris Bishop describing the work to advance the project as being a priority for the Government.
“It will be one of the most significant transport investments in New Zealand in decades, with the potential to significantly grow our economy and create thousands of jobs and opportunities for New Zealanders,” said Mr Bishop.
“We know that it will be one of the most complex infrastructure projects New Zealand has ever undertaken. Despite the complexity and cost, we know we need it and we’re progressing work at pace.
“So over the next 12 months, starting in the coming days, we’ll undertake geotechnical, environmental, and utilities investigations to gain a comprehensive understanding of ground and seabed conditions and, in time, to determine whether a bridge or a tunnel would be the more suitable crossing option.”
Mr Bishop said the Government expect to make decisions on whether a bridge or a tunnel is the preferred option around the middle of next year.
“As a multi-billion-dollar, intergenerational mega-project, it’s critical that we look for innovative ways to finance and deliver it. We also need to draw on the experience of companies and countries who’ve built mega-projects like this more recently than we have in New Zealand – because, let’s be honest, because we haven’t done anything at this level of complexity or cost in a long time,” he said.
“The next step in our cabinet-agreed process will be kicking off next month, with NZTA commencing early market soundings to explore staging opportunities as the two options – bridge or tunnel – are refined for assessment.
“These early market soundings will involve one-on-one engagement sessions with a select group of civil contractors, maintenance providers, investors and debt financiers to seek feedback on design elements and approach to delivery, as well as market appetite and capacity.”
Mr Leggett said Infrastructure New Zealand was pleased to hear that NZTA is to engage with the industry at an early stage over proposed elements of the design and delivery, as well as funding and procurement options.
“It is important to achieve early alignment between the project’s objectives and what the industry and investors are realistically capable of delivering,” he said.
“A second crossing is not a nice-to-have, it is a must-have. The existing Auckland Harbour Bridge has pretty much reached capacity and requires significant improvements to maintain its resilience and remain open.
“Only having one viable crossing leaves Auckland and New Zealand extremely exposed if the bridge is compromised for any length of time. Auckland is 38% of the New Zealand economy and a large amount of this is dependent on the bridge (people and goods) – it is too important to fail,” he said.
