SH1 Basin Reserve improvements – investigation funding

Applicant

NZ Transport Agency

Purpose

To seek the Board's approval for funding the Investigation of the New Zealand Transport Agency's project for improvements at the Basin Reserve in Wellington city.

Date of decision

18 December 2008

Resolutions

The NZ Transport Agency Board:

1. notes that the SH1 Basin Reserve Improvements project is a component of a package of works described in the Ngauranga to Airport Corridor strategy that the Board has supported, which is intended to intensify land use around the Newtown/Adelaide Road growth area assisted by improvements to passenger transport, walking and cycling and general traffic flow;
2. approves funding for the Investigation of the New Zealand Transport Agency's SH1 Basin Reserve Improvements project, at an estimated cost of $3.3 million from N funds, subject to:
   1. the development of a Memorandum of Understanding, to the Chief Executive's satisfaction, amongst the NZ Transport Agency, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council, which sets out the governance arrangements and obligations of each party with the aim of optimising and delivering the complete package of public transport, walking & cycling, roading, urban design and land use changes of which this project is a part; and
   2. the establishment of a hold point during investigation following selection of the preferred option and before undertaking the Assessment of Environmental Effects and lodging of the Notice of Requirement, to enable the Board and the NLTP Review Group to consider the macroscopes of this project and the Basin Reserve Package of which this project is part;
3. requests the Chief Executive to advise the Regional Transport Committee that, should the profile of this project change during investigation, funding for subsequent phases of this project may be subject to the availability of R or C funding for the Region;
4. notes that the construction cost for the SH1 Basin Reserve Improvements project is estimated at $42 million, the 95th percentile construction cost is estimated at $66 million and the 5th percentile at $32 million;
5. notes the reasons for this decision are as set out in the Reasons for recommendation section; and
6. agrees to take Board paper 08/12/0121 out of Committee when the Board has published the notice of decision.

Reason for the decision

The assessment of this project is based on the strategy assessment done for the Ngauranga to Airport Corridor Plan and is of high seriousness and urgency, medium effectiveness and medium efficiency.

The project addresses the problem of route efficiency around the Basin Reserve which in turn, if not solved, will severely compromise plans for significantly improved PT services in the north-south corridor and associated intensification of development along Adelaide Road.

Preliminary analysis of the Basin Reserve Project, shows that the project, properly integrated with the Basin Reserves Package, has the potential to contribute very positively to an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive, and sustainable land transport system. The potential could be compromised by the risks involved in delivering such a complex package.

It is confirmed 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.

If you would like details of how the assessment profile for this activity was determined, please email us at boardsecretariat@nzta.govt.nz.