FOOB meets with Waka Kotahi NZTA re Penlink
Waka Kotahi NZTA is currently consulting with the local community on the development of the planned Penlink roading project crossing the Weiti River, and linking Whangaparaoa at Beverley Road to the Northern Motorway. There will be on and off ramps at the East Coast Road intersection and just north of Stillwater. On 12 October a small group of FOOB representatives met with Barbara Ware, a senior advisor of Waka Kotahi re Penlink.
Barbara Ware had a wonderful map showing the proposed route and explained some of the reasons why this project is so important. She also explained the processes need to be gone through before construction begins. More about this can be found on the link: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/penlink
FOOB brought up a number of issues which it would like NZTA to take into consideration in their planning. These included:
- Impact of light pollution – alternative lighting methods to be considered, eg, sensor lights, downward lights, LED
- Impact of construction on the marine reserve – sedimentation, contamination from toxic residue
- Impact of bridge piles on flow of the Weiti River
- Impact of rain/water run-off
- Impact on the cheniers
- Impact on the shore birdlife at Karepiro Bay and Stillwater
- Impact on the bird, lizard, bat and insect life in the bush reserves
- Use of locally sourced seeds from native trees and plants for planting programme
- Long term maintenance of planting programme to ensure trees are well established, and areas not revert to invasive weeds
- Terracing instead of angled cuts on landscape to reduce biosecurity risks and allow for natives to grow instead of providing steep exposed earth that pampas grass can invade (eg Waiwera toll HWY)
- impact of increased numbers of pedestrians on the Okura Bush Walkway
- Will there be further ‘park and ride’ stations – impact on the environment
- Location of base-line monitoring units
Barbara said that NZTA is attempting to be as “environmentally sensitive as possible” with this project, took a record of these issues and concerns. A further meeting is planned between with NZTA in late November.