NZ Transport Agency
To update the Board on the Christchurch Northern Arterial project, seek approval to invest and delegate to the Chief Executive authority to determine the final scope of works for the state highway components.
18 September 2015
The New Zealand Transport Agency Board:
|
a. |
approved construction funding for the Transport Agency’s Northern Arterial project at a cost of $260 million |
|
b. |
delegated to the Chief Executive authority to determine the final scope of works for the state highway related works to be committed to construction |
| c. |
noted that while the standalone Northern Arterial project has an investment profile of high-strategic-fit and medium-effectiveness and a BCR of 1.7, the full Christchurch Roads of National Significance programme has an investment profile of high-strategic-fit and high-effectiveness with a programme BCR of 4.6 |
| d. | noted that further advice will be presented to the Board on the Christchurch City Council position prior to awarding the Northern Arterial construction contract |
| e. | noted that a further paper will be presented to the Board to seek construction funding for the Christchurch City Council linked projects once negotiations with the Council have concluded. |
The NArt section of the Christchurch Motorways Roads of National Significance programme (RONS) will provide an additional new route for travel between North Canterbury and the Central Business District. The project will improve journey time trip reliability by providing a four-lane median-divided arterial that provides a more direct link at a higher average and more consistent operating speed (design speed of 100 km/hr versus existing speeds of 50/60 km/hr).
The NArt is the second step toward reducing total state highway traffic through Belfast; the first stage was commitment to the construction of the Western Belfast bypass by the Board in March 2015. When both are complete this will enable the existing network through Belfast and Northwood to be reconfigured to be an efficient passenger transport corridor and to reduce existing urban severance issues.
The modified NArt has a standalone funding profile of High Strategic fit, Medium Effectiveness, and Efficiency rating of 1.7; with a funding priority of 5.
The Christchurch RONS has a funding profile of High Strategic fit, High Effectiveness and a programme economic efficiency rating of 4.6; with a funding priority of 2.
We note the current indicative funding threshold for the State highway Improvements Activity Class is priority 3. We consider that the construction funding should be approved based the RONs programme funding profile and priority.
We confirm that the matters in sections 20(2) and 20(5) of the LTMA have been satisfied, and that the matters in section 20(3) have been taken into account.
