Local boards in the south continue to advocate for Mill Road to provide an alternative corridor to the Southern Motorway.
The chairs of the Papakura, Manurewa and Franklin boards wrote to the New Zealand Transport Agency at the end of last year expressing support for designating land from Alfriston to Drury for the project – named as road of national significance by the Government.
Papakura Local Board chair Brent Catchpole says his residents look forward to seeing progress because an alternate route to the motorway is desperately needed.
“It would support economic development, relieve congestion and provide options when the motorway is closed.”
Manurewa Local Board chair Matt Winiata says Mill Road was included in last October’s Fast Track Consenting Schedule, a move that included changes around 21km of road between the Redoubt Road and proposed Drury South interchanges. “It involves a new corridor that will be a mix of new roads and upgrades.”
Franklin Local Board chair Angela Fulljames joined her colleagues in raising concerns around delays adding to costs but NZTA infrastructure delivery manager Peter Wiles responded, saying Mill Road would be delivered in three stages, with the first from Manukau to Alfriston progressing to construction soon.
While that work takes place, he says route protection and approvals will be sought for stages 2 and 3, with investment cases expected to be developed in the middle of next year, and design, consenting and approvals occurring from mid-2027, with a start date subject to funding.
“I acknowledge Mill Road has a long history, and to enable us to provide certainty, we will build on the work previously undertaken so we can move at pace and deliver the project effectively.”
Local boards in the south have advocated for an alternative road to successive governments to enable effective freight movement and to allow communities to connect with services and employment to the north.
Fulljames says that has become increasingly urgent as growth in the south and in the north Waikato has accelerated. “Everyone can see what is happening in our areas, and it is putting significant pressure on the motorway, which impacts our people.”
All three boards have included advocacy for Mill Road in their Local Board Plans and hope the commitment will see landowners gain certainty over what is planned in their areas.
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