Wairere Drive Arterial (Crosby Road to Cobham Road) – investigation and design funding

Applicant

Hamilton City Council

Purpose

To seek the Board's approval for funding the investigation and design of Hamilton City Council's Wairere Drive Arterial (Crosby Rd to Cobham Road) project in the Waikato region.

Date of decision

24 April 2009

Resolutions

The NZ Transport Agency Board:

1. approves funding for the investigation and design of Hamilton City Council's Wairere Drive Arterial (Crosby Road to Cobham Road) project, at an estimated cost of $ $2.92 million and a funding assistance rate of 55% (NZ Transport Agency's share $1.61 million) from R funds, subject to Hamilton City Council agreeing to:
   1. a hold point at specimen design to confirm that information from further investigation of the NZ Transport Agency's Hamilton Bypass project confirms that the scope of this project represents value for money;
   2. investigate opportunities for third party contributions against the total cost of the project and incorporating these opportunities. prior to applying for funding for construction; and
   3. review the project for consistency against the strategic objectives of the revised Access Hamilton strategy prior to applying for construction funding;
2. requests the Group Manager, Regional Partnerships and Planning to request the Waikato Regional Transport Committee to review the priority of the project and its recommended use of R funds, prior to an application for construction funding, taking into account that the draft Regional Land Transport Programme does not reflect the property costs associated with the project;
3. notes that the construction cost for the Wairere Drive Arterial (Crosby Road to Cambridge Road) is estimated at $61 million, the 95th percentile construction cost is estimated at $69 million and the 5th percentile at $56 million;
4. notes the reasons for this decision are as set out in the Reasons for recommendation section; and
5. agrees to take Board paper 09/04/0174 out of Committee when the Board has published the notice of decision.

Reason for the decision

The assessment profile for this activity has been determined as being of medium seriousness and urgency, medium effectiveness and medium efficiency.

The project contributes positively to the objectives of the LTMA, particularly economic development. Improved travel times and reliability of travel between residential and employment areas and the relief of congestion on the local network are of high strategic importance for Hamilton.

The project aligns with the Access Hamilton Strategy and Hamilton Urban Growth Strategy which identifies that the arterial network is intended to provide efficient linkages between residential, educational and employment areas.

Increased capacity of the arterial network will result in improved efficiency and the ability to manage multi modal networks and land use in a more safe and integrated manner.

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.

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