There’s limited information available about what two options the current Government is exploring, but they do involve a tunnel and a bridge.
Brown told the Herald he had directed NZTA to “progress consideration of two options for an additional Waitematā Harbour crossing in Auckland” and the Government “expects an investment decision on this critical project to be received in mid-2026 to consider”.
“NZTA must be focused on delivering the best long-term solution for Aucklanders that addresses resilience issues, growth, and efficiency of the transport network across our largest city, while achieving value for money.
“To ensure that the project achieves value for money, I have directed NZTA to refine the scope of the crossing and develop a more detailed understanding of the costs, risks, trade-offs and assumptions for the tunnel and an equivalent bridge option, prior to seeking a decision from ministers on which option to progress.”
Transport Minister Simeon Brown. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Brown said that over the next 12 to 18 months, NZTA would undertake geotechnical, environmental and utilities investigations to understand ground and seabed conditions. This is expected to begin either later this year or in early 2025.
“NZTA will also review and update consenting pathways for the project, progress route protection for land-based crossing components, and consider funding, financing, and procurement options to inform delivery stages. We expect that this project will be delivered using international expertise and investment.”
He described progressing an alternative crossing as being a “priority” for the Government.
“The Auckland Harbour Bridge will need major upgrades in coming years, and it is critical that there is an alternative crossing available to ensure the resilience of Auckland’s most critical roading connection while enabling growth along the Northern Busway corridor.”
Brown has previously said the Government won’t pursue crossings focused on active modes of transport – pedestrian and cycling – or Labour’s proposed light rail connection.
The 2024 Government Policy Statement on Land Transport makes clear that any new crossing would deliver “additional road connections”.
It’s also expected that NZTA will look at private funding options for the alternative crossing. That could include equity financing and value capture mechanisms. The Government is already proposing tolls on a number of roads.
Tangi Utikere, Labour’s transport spokesman, said his party would be open to all options on the table as it is “critical Auckland does get an additional harbour crossing”.
“Whether they land on a tunnel or a bridge, we’ll be open to supporting those options, because when it comes to infrastructure, it’s too important to be just sort of starting and stopping,” he told the Herald.
But Utikere believed the Government should be acting with “urgency” to come to a decision on what alternative crossing it will green-light. He said it was disappointing that decision was so far out.
“I’m surprised that it seems to be quite a long runway to land on what the investment decision will be ... This might be an excuse, where they are simply trying to buy time so they can figure out how they’re going to fund it.”
Asked whether Labour would support tolling on a new crossing, Utikere said the Government would need to make out the rationale doing so.
“Those conversations need to be had upfront. So we’re much more comfortable with conversations around tolling where there is a free alternative route that can be accessed for folks,” he said.
“If it’s going to be tolled, then there needs to be a conversation around that and the rationale needs to be made out as well.”
Labour’s 2023 proposal would have seen twin road tunnels – one in each direction – for vehicles between the central Auckland motorway junction and Akoranga on the North Shore. A separate light rail tunnel was also planned from Wynyard to Albany, with multiple stations. One of the lanes on the current bridge would have been reallocated to cycling with the potential for a walking platform as well. The goal was for construction to begin by 2029.
Labour’s Auckland spokesman Shanan Halbert in September asked the Transport Minister about his plan for a second crossing. Brown said it was being worked through “methodically”.
“NZTA has got work under way in relation to the options. I do note that the last Government – their greatest and most amazing idea at the end of their time was to come up with something like a $55 billion project. That was what they sort of thought was the way to win the election. The reality is – what did Aucklanders say? Aucklanders said, ‘Haere rā.’ That’s what they said. They said haere rā to the Labour Party.”
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub Press Gallery office.
