Some local residents caught up in one the most dreaded roads in Auckland – Lake Rd on the North Shore – are prepared to pay a targeted rate for a $70 million-plus upgrade.
A survey by the Automobile Association of 800 Devonport peninsula members found half favour the most expensive of three options to upgrade the heavily congested arterial route in and out of Devonport, home to the Royal New Zealand Navy.
The survey followed consultation by Auckland Transport on three options to improve Lake Rd.
The first two options, costing between $10m and $40m, would provide the fewest benefits and take five to 10 years to build. The third option, costing $70m-plus, would involve buying properties, road widening, major disruption and take more than 10 years to build.
It would, however, provide “a greater scale and range of benefits”.
AA senior infrastructure adviser Vanessa Wills said the survey results highlight the level of frustration the road causes for local residents, saying it is clear from the feedback that the status quo will not be tolerated for much longer.
Earlier this year, the Herald revealed a quarter of the city’s busiest roads, including Lake Rd, are already congested during the morning and evening peaks, up from 18 per cent three years ago.
On weekdays, the intersection of Lake Rd and Esmonde Rd is a choke point for 32,000 vehicles. Lake Rd is regularly clogged up at weekends.
“Locals see this as a clear opportunity to bite the bullet; fix it once and fix it properly. They don’t want to see “half-pie tinkering” only to have more road works again in 10 years’ time – they want significant and substantial investment right now, and if it means paying for the high-level option, then that’s something they’re willing to look into,” Wills said.
Of the 49.3 per cent of respondents who opted for the $70m option, half of those said they were prepared to pay a targeted rate. About two-thirds of those said they would be willing to pay a targeted rate of between $50 and $200 a year.
A total of 29.8 per cent of respondents favoured the medium-level investment and 8 per cent the $10m investment. The remaining 12.9 per cent favoured none of the options.
“People are willing to pay something extra, but they want to see it happening faster as a result. AA members want to see benefits within the next five years – not 10,” Wills said.
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