NZ Transport Agency
To seek Board approval for funding for the Western Belfast Bypass construction and to seek approval in principle for advance funding of the Christchurch City Council projects linked to the Northern Arterial project.
To update the Board on progress with the Christchurch Roads of National Significance programme of works, including the forecast out-turn costs.
5 March 2015
The New Zealand Transport Agency Board:
|
a. |
approved construction funding for the Western Belfast Bypass project at a cost of $122 million. |
|
b. |
delegated to the Chief Executive the authority to negotiate with Christchurch City Council an agreement for advance funding estimated at $38 million for the Christchurch City Council Northern Arterial extension and Cranford Street upgrade projects. |
|
c. |
noted the reasons for these decisions are because the project has a High Strategic Fit, High Effectiveness and a Benefit Cost Ratio of 2.6. It will deliver benefits by reconfiguring the existing network through Belfast and Northwood to be an efficient passenger transport corridor, to deliver improved journey times and trip reliability, and to reduce existing urban severance issues. These reasons are elaborated in Attachment 1 of the Board paper. |
The Western Belfast Bypass section of the Christchurch Motorways Roads of National Significance programme (RONS) will bypass the key growth areas of Belfast and Northwood. The project will improve journey time (averaging three minutes saving in either direction over the length of the project) and trip reliability by providing a four-lane median-divided expressway that provides a more direct link at a higher average and more consistent operating speed (design speed of 100km/h versus existing speeds of 60/70 and 80km/h).
The Bypass is the first step toward reducing total state highway traffic through Belfast; the second stage is the northern arterial to be delivered later in the RONS programme. 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 Western Belfast Bypass has a BCR of 2.6 and a funding profile of high strategic fit, high effectiveness, and medium efficiency.
The Christchurch RONs has a programme funding profile of high strategic fit, high effectiveness, and BCR 4.6.
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.
