Transport Minister Simeon Brown has previously told the Herald he has “been clear with NZTA that this project would need to be completed by the middle of the year and at minimal cost”.
Advice NZTA has provided to Brown in recent months about the matter has been released to the Herald under the Official Information Act.
A monthly report that ended August 14 said final draft reports of technical feasibility and cost analysis for the long tunnel option had been received and reviewed by NZTA.
Preparations were underway for a board workshop later that month and a formal briefing to the Transport Minister after that.
“Project scope and timing to be determined based on the option decision”, the report said.
Asked whether the investigation was now completed and why it had taken longer than expected, NZTA Transport Services Acting Group General Manager Robyn Elston said “work has continued” to develop options for upgrades to State Highway 1 through Wellington city.
This included the Basin Reserve and Mt Victoria tunnel as well as an alternative long tunnel, Elston said.
Officials updated the Minister in September with an overview of three potential options, she said.
Brown confirmed the three options were a parallel or diagonal second Mt Victoria tunnel and a long tunnel.
NZTA’s work on each of the options was completed in September and was with the agency’s board for its consideration, he said.
“I am looking forward to the NZTA board assessing the merits of each option and getting the project delivered as quickly as possible.”
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says a long tunnel could make trips in the Wellington region to the airport up to 15 minutes faster. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Herald asked NZTA what information the board had seen about the long tunnel and whether any decisions had been made.
“A presentation was provided to the board, and a board workshop was held on the subject”, Elston said.
“This was presented for the board’s information, and no decision was sought from the board.”
The long tunnel has cast doubt on National’s campaign promise to get spades in the ground for a second Mt Victoria tunnel during its first term in Government.
Asked last month whether the Government was still committed to this, for either the long tunnel or second Mt Victoria tunnel, Brown said the project scope inherited from the previous government placed too much emphasis on walking and cycling.
This failed to adequately address Wellington’s traffic congestion, he said.
“NZTA is progressing this work as quickly as possible and will provide clear timeframes for delivery once the review is completed. Our priority is getting this project right, not rushing it, to ensure we deliver something that truly meets the needs of the region.”
The Government was fully committed to delivering a second Mt Victoria tunnel, as set out in the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024, Brown said.
As for whether NZTA could start construction this term on either project, given how much time has passed on investigating options, Elston said the agency was working at pace on the roads of national significance (RoNS) programme.
“We are working on a streamlined project development process and awaiting the impact of the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals legislation to help accelerate the delivery of the RoNS projects.”
The long tunnel investigation has also cost more than first thought.
Brown has previously said NZTA expected to spend between $1.3 million and $1.5m on it.
A written parliamentary question by Labour’s transport spokesman Tangi Utikere reveals more than $1.6m has been spent on consultants as of August 31.
The existing Mt Victoria tunnel on State Highway 1 in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Elston said work has continued past August 31 so, more money has been spent but she would not say how much.
“The original range was only an estimate of the cost, and NZTA has undertaken additional modelling to understand the broader network impacts of options.”
Utikere said the long tunnel project was now beyond irresponsible as investigation costs continued to climb.
“A business case for a long- tunnel, that he has no budget to build, comes a whole lot cheaper than fulfilling his promise to start construction on a second Mt Victoria tunnel this term. All the Government is doing is backtracking on promises and preparing to not deliver.”
Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.
