Town fears bypass will delay upgrade at notorious intersection

Photo / Sarah Ivey

The promotion of a State Highway 1 bypass of Warkworth may come at the expense of early relief for the town's notoriously confusing Hill St intersection.

Upgrading the intersection - which receives six busy roads - was supposed to be finished in 2012.

It was to crown $20 million of improvements to safety and traffic flow on the highway through the town.

Five intersections with the highway are in the plan and work on the first of them began in April last year.

But in January the Government declared that forming a dual-carriage highway from Puhoi to Wellsford - bypassing Warkworth - was a project of national significance.

The projected route is in its initial consultation stage.

But yesterday, Transport Agency northern highway manager Tommy Parker said the agency was conducting an internal review of the Hill St design "in light of the change in circumstances".

He was referring to the suggested Puhoi-Wellsford route and its impact on Warkworth which will get on/off ramps.

Hill St is the key access for Matakana, Omaha and Snells Beach as well as for the town CBD.

Rodney District Council is concerned Hill St is being pulled out from the suite of five highway intersections due for upgrading and traffic lights.

"Hill St must remain a priority," said Mayor Penny Webster.

The council has a memorandum of understanding with the agency that Hill St will be done by the end of 2012.

The agency believes it has time to take into account the results of its consultation over Hill St and meet that deadline.

Motorists have endured road works on the highway through the town since April last year.

On summer Sundays, queues stretch 25km south of the town, with motorists waiting up to two hours.

Mr Parker said wet-weather delays to the first stage of highway improvements - between Woodcocks and Whitaker Rds - meant it would now be completed late next month.

Work would start on the Hudson St stage in summer and design of a further stage at McKinney Rd was being finalised.

The district council has finished drainage work and parking bays for Mahurangi College.

Councillor Dave Parker said he was concerned that Hill St was in the "too-hard basket".

"It's the most complex intersection, as most people who use it will know.

"There must be some remedial work in the interim before the bypass is built."

About 20km south of the town, residents of Puhoi are trying to persuade the Transport Agency that it needs off/on ramps to the new highway.

The agency has extended the deadline for public views to Monday.