Auckland Council has committed to supporting residents in their bid to have the Wellington St on-ramp reopened.
Herne Bay Residents Association secretary Christine Cavanagh told the council's Transport Committee meeting on Tuesday she believed the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) was considering keeping the on-ramp closed forever. She said the 7000 cars that would have used the on-ramp each day were now clogging inner-city streets to get to on-ramps at Curran St or Fanshawe St - causing noise, vibration, pollution and danger to pedestrians in suburban streets. Roads affected included Ponsonby Rd, Jervois Rd, Sarsfield St, Shelley Beach Rd, Wellington St and Franklin Rd - with rat running taking place in side streets.
"Residents have tolerated the temporary closure on the understanding things would get better; instead they're getting worse. We feel let down."
NZTA told residents the on-ramp would be closed for three months from 2010 during construction of the Victoria Park Tunnel - but two years later it remains closed.
The Aucklander reported the effect the closure had on Beaumont Street residents last month. Complex manager for the Beaumont Quarter residents' society Ulf Behncke said: "NZTA has installed traffic lights at the on-ramp, shut it down, opened it up, then shut it down again. Now they're playing with the idea it'll never open up. The question should be asked: how much money did we waste?"
He said Beaumont St traffic had increased dramatically since the closure of the Wellington St on-ramp.
NZTA spokesman Steven Towns said his agency and Auckland Transport are carrying out a consultation process with stakeholders until July.
"We want to take the opportunity to see Victoria Park Tunnel get itself to a steady state and look at the benefits of three options."
They include opening the on-ramp, closing it, or a partial reopening - dependent on types of vehicles, and time of day or week.
"We'll discuss with stakeholders and explain if there's a preference for a particular project."
Mr Towns said a view existed that NZTA has already decided what it wants, but that isn't the case. "We're simply extending the temporary closure. We're just looking at the best single transport solution at that part of the network. It's not about favouring motorway users over the local community; we're looking to assist both."
Ms Cavanagh said her association gave the consultation plan a "D minus". She says NZTA and Auckland Transport are more interested in consulting with each other than the community.
"Reading between the lines they're saying 'we'll talk at you and we'll inform you, but we won't have a meaningful two-way dialogue'. They're not sharing what it is they're researching and we've got no confidence the impacts are being appropriately measured."
Councillor Mike Lee, Transport Committee chair, said it seemed NZTA had changed its mind over reopening the on-ramp: "That's unfortunate given the commitment that the closure was temporary."
Mr Lee said the Waitemata Local Board wants the on-ramp reopened.
"It's been there for several decades and driver habits have grown around it. It's been paid for by taxpayers and it'd be wasteful to close it and unfair on ratepayers. We didn't build the on-ramp, NZTA did - but it's now part of amenities and we need it opened again."
Councillor Cathy Casey said if the on-ramp was to be closed indefinitely NZTA should have advised people at the time. "NZTA don't have the best track record in terms of consultation. Before you engage in a pilot project, you need to make sure you communicate with the people affected."
But councillor George Wood said traffic has been flowing "exceedingly well" since the on-ramp was closed.
"If you inject another entry point it could clog traffic up completely. Let NZTA do the work; don't prejudge the outcome. It'll look like we're pressuring them and it'll reduce traffic to 10km/h through the tunnel.
Councillor Des Morrison said he also said he wanted NZTA to finish its process, before making a decision on whether to back a re-opening, rather than going with his "gut feeling." Despite that, the transport committee voted to "communicate its support" to NZTA and Auckland Transport for re-opening the existing Wellington St onramp.
Ms Cavanagh said Herne Bay Residents Association was absolutely delighted with the council's backing.
"Our wish list is it's re-opened immediately," she said. "If NZTA wishes to push this option [closing] they'll have to put in place a more robust and consultative plan than what they're currently proposing."
The Automobile Association agrees. Spokesperson Simon Lambourne says the tunnel was built with the on-ramp in mind.
"Yes, vehicles are accessing north through Fanshawe St but many are going through the suburbs to access the motorway at Curran St. It's unacceptable to propose closing it permanently. We have a perfectly functioning on-ramp and when you have a piece of infrastructure like that, you should be using it."
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