Auckland Harbour Bridge to balloon to 18 lanes under John Tamihere's proposal

Friday, 16 August 2019

A look back at the history of the Auckland Harbour Bridge as it celebrates its 60th anniversary. (First published in May 2019)

A two-level Auckland Harbour Bridge with 18 lanes could be on the cards if John Tamihere wins the mayoral race.

Tamihere, who is looking to oust Auckland's incumbent mayor Phil Goff at the upcoming local body elections, said the replacement could be built in six years with 'minimal disruption to traffic', modelled on similar extensions overseas.

It would provide 10 lanes of traffic on a lower level and light rail, walking and cycling on the upper level.

But Goff claims Tamihere's proposal would cost more than $10 billion to build, 'destroying neighbourhoods'.

**READ MORE:

The layout of the two-level harbour crossing proposed by mayoral challenger John Tamihere.

* Auckland Harbour Bridge marks its 60th birthday by going back to the future

* SkyPath plans scrapped as NZTA releases new design for Auckland Harbour Bridge walkway

John Tamihere is running for the Auckland mayoralty run with Christine Fletcher as deputy.

* $10b Auckland growth transport networks unveiled

* Mayor Phil Goff pledges cheaper weekday fares for school pupils in Auckland**

'Either he [Tamihere], intends to bankrupt the city, burden ratepayers with massive extra rates or he is making it up because he know he is never going to deliver it,' Goff said.

'Widening the motorway at either end to match the 18 lanes would see massive demolition of buildings and destruction of homes and neighbourhoods. This will cost further billions of dollars that Auckland doesn't have and the Government won't pay for.

'This is total fantasy stuff and fundamentally dishonest to promise.'

The current plan to eventually take the load off the 60-year-old highway bridge is to build cross-harbour tunnels in several decades' time.

A five metre-wide path for pedestrians and cyclists is also planned to flank the bridge's citybound lanes. Construction could begin as early as next year.

Tamihere's pitch is to replace the existing structure on the same piers.

It would bring rail and road connections to the North Shore 'forward by decades', at a 'significantly reduced cost than other options', Tamihere said.

His campaign was all about big ideas, he said.

'My mayoralty is bringing solutions to quite significant and at times intractable processes – you've got to start somewhere and head down that track, extra work has to be done.'

Tamihere compared the proposed design to the Milton-Madison Bridge across the Ohio River in the United States.

That bridge is a two-lane link with a shared walking and cycling shoulder. A new replacement structure was built alongside the original bridge and slid into place on the existing foundation in 2014.

Tamihere also backs an early start to the proposed Penlink Highway to the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

The proposed direct shortcut from State Highway 1 onto the Whangaparaoa Peninsula has been described by the New Zealand Transport Agency as a 'priority project', but may not be built for 10-30 years.

It has long been a point of contention between local lobbyists and those who question its value ahead of other spending in Auckland.

Tamihere acknowledged both the harbour crossing and Penlink were taxpayer-funded projects, and he would have to convince the government to get behind both.

'Ratepayers and motorists on the North Shore need certainty, not hollow promises and backside covering,' Tamihere said.

His full policy on roading and public transport will be released in a week.

Goff has yet to release his transport policy, other than a commitment to make public transport cheaper for school pupils on weekdays.