Frustration grows over Paerata Rd, Pukekohe road work delays

A large development is set to take place in Paerata. An expected 30,000 homes could be built in the area, just north of Pukekohe. Photo / Nick Reed

By Torika Tokalau, Local Democracy Reporter of RNZ

Motorists are fed up with road works on a south Auckland road, which are expected to drag on for almost two years because of delays.

The Paerata Rd culvert upgrade in Pukekohe started in April 2024 and was to be completed this spring, but will now finish in February 2026.

Auckland Council was upgrading the stormwater culvert on the southern end of Paerata Rd, after extreme weather and Cyclone Gabrielle caused severe flooding to nearby properties in 2023.

Resident John Lewis said there seemed to be no end in sight for the roadworks.

“I know it has to be done and I’m all for improving infrastructure but for someone who frequents the road, it’s been really annoying that it’s taken this long,” Lewis said.

Pukekohe resident Marama Ratu said traffic was a mess and the potholes didn’t help either.

“They’ve [potholes] just gotten worse,” she said.

“It’s already slow going through there, then we have to swerve to avoid these huge potholes that just keeps getting bigger ... it’s a mess.”

She said she understood why the project was important but questioned its delay.

“They’re saying it’s going to be completed next year, that’s almost two years of this spectacle. Surely, they could complete it sooner?”

The council said the reason for the delay was that it chose the most traffic-friendly construction approach, which meant constructing the bridge in two halves.

According to the council, 17,000 vehicles cross the culvert everyday.

Council special projects principal delivery Leighton Gillespie said the bridge was being constructed in halves to keep the roads open.

“But [it] ensures continued access for all road users,” Gillespie said.

He said they opted for the most traffic-friendly construction approach for the project.

“While this means extending the overall programme duration, it allows us to maintain uninterrupted two-lane traffic flow throughout the works.

“This decision was made to minimise disruption for the community and local businesses by avoiding full road closures or stop/go traffic control.”

Gillespie said they also encountered some unforeseen utility services that required relocation and coordination, which have contributed to delays in the programme.

“These challenges have now been resolved, but the associated impacts on time remain.”

The upgrade of the stormwater culvert on the southern end of Paerata Rd meant replacing the existing 1.8m x 1.8m box culvert with a 12m-long bridge across Whangapouri Creek.

“Fortunately, we have been able to progress downstream works while approvals were being finalised, helping to maintain overall momentum.

“We’ve received relatively few complaints about traffic to date, and we continue to adapt our traffic management in response to the needs of businesses and the wider community.”

Gillespie said the work was important to help future-proof the stormwater network by reducing the frequency of flooding upstream and the risk of the culvert overflowing.

“We will also be completing erosion protection and securing downstream slopes.”

It was all part of wider stormwater upgrades in the area, to reduce flooding and support future growth, he said.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

-RNZ