Piha R&R has received the following advice from Auckland Transport via the Waitakere Ranges Local Board: This after they had already applied for a resource consent for the work, which they subsequently withdrew as it did NOT conform to either the Auckland Transport Waitakere Ranges Design Guidelines” or the requirements of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act.
“The Piha – Seaview Road Improvement Project is currently undergoing an internal funding review to determine its financial viability and also the likelihood of its receiving a subsidy from the NZ Transport Agency. Work that has been done to date covers investigatory work and work for a preliminary design for NZTA.
Once funding has been confirmed, consultation with local residents will commence. We hope to do this in February/March 2019. Input from local residents is vital to ensure the final design is not only robust from an engineering perspective but is also one that serves the needs of the local community.”
Piha Road up-grade works
See the Design as originally submitted for Consent HERE
Following the investigative process that we all had to endure Auckland Transport now have an upgrade of the Piha Road from Te Ahuahu Road to Garden Road on their works program. The R&R has been lobbying Auckland Transport to consider the following:
1) Timing in terms of the seasons and the effect weather will have on the works.
2) Timing with respect to the times of day and the proposed traffic control program.
3) That the proposed works include consideration of storm water control.
4) That the works are designed with reference to the Auckland Transport Waitakere Ranges Design Guides and the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act.
5) That consultation with the community on the above is undertaken before the design is finalised.
A resource consent for the work was lodged, but later withdrawn after the design was shared with the Waitakere Ranges Local Board and they were not satisfied that the above points had been properly addressed, particularly items 4) and 5).
Of particular concern is the storm water control. The storm water design engineers involved in 1999 left some work for “future” and that has not been addressed. The new design follows the 1999 design in that all the storm water that traditionally flowed to the Moana Stream is now directed to the Piha Stream. This means that at times of potential flooding in the Glen Esk Valley, all the storm water from the top of the hill and the properties inland from Piha Rd, plus the road storm water, will be directed into the Piha. This will add a huge volume of water into a stream that is already prone to flooding because the storm water cannot escape. We believe this is irresponsible. Watch this space.