Auckland’s SkyPath to be fast-tracked

16th June 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

A rendering of the Auckland Harbour Bridge shared pathway. Image: NZTA

Auckland’s $360m Northern Pathway project and an upgrade of Picton’s ferry dock and terminal are among 11 infrastructure projects fast-tracked under a new law.

The Government yesterday said the 11 projects would proceed with the backing of the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track) Bill.

“It will mean that projects which are already funded can get underway quickly, providing jobs and stimulus across the country,” prime minister Jacinda Ardern said.

“The first projects have been chosen because they are ready to go, provide at least 1,200 jobs, and because they align with the long-term challenges the Government was taking on before Covid arrived in housing, the environment, and transport.”

The long-awaited Northern Pathway project, which included the Harbour Bridge Skypath, would see a cycleway and walkway built between Westhaven and Akoranga, creating 50 new jobs.

The Picton ferry dock and terminal upgrade would improve rail services by expanding the docks and upgrading the passenger terminal, creating 200 jobs.

Other projects to be fast-tracked included upgrades to Auckland’s Britomart station, Papakura to Pukekohe rail electrification, Wellington Metro upgrades and a cycleway and walkway improvements between Petone and Ngauranga.

“The specific projects are listed in the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track) Bill that will be introduced In the House later this week. The Bill also opens the way for other projects to be fast-tracked to help deliver faster economic growth and more jobs as soon as possible,” environment minister David Parker said.

“Job rich infrastructure and development projects of different sizes and in different locations around New Zealand will be prioritised.”

The announcement follows the news over the weekend that the Provincial Growth Fund was investing $60m in road and rail improvements, cycleways, tree maintenance and water projects.

Regional economic development minister Shane Jones said the focus for the projects was on the redeployment of workers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is made up of $27.2m for local roading projects, $26m for rail projects and nearly $6.8m for the Ministry of Social Development to support workers into training to take up these jobs,” he said.

Jones added that at least 800 New Zealanders most in need of employment due to the economic effects of Covid-19 would be employed into work in their own communities.

The projects were in the Bay of Plenty, the West Coast, Manawatu-Whanganui, Wairarapa, Taranaki, top of the South Island and Waikato.

The $26m for rail projects includes drain and culvert condition surveys, culvert cleaning and maintenance, vegetation control and drainage renewals and improvements.

The work will take place around rail lines from the Waikato to Wairarapa, and in Canterbury, West Coast and Otago-Southland and would create work for 200 people, including new rail trainees, local regional contractors, and redeployed KiwiRail staff.

The $60m PGF boost added to $100m already earmarked for worker redeployment, of which $28m had been allocated to Tairawhiti, $6.2m nationally for forestry workers and $36.7m to other regions.