Western Ring Route
Encyclopedia
The Western Ring Route is a motorway system being constructed in Auckland
, New Zealand
. It runs along three existing state highways: the Southwestern Motorway (SH20), the Northwestern Motorway (part of SH16
) and the Upper Harbour Highway (SH18
). When finished it will surpass the Southern Motorway
to become the longest motorway in New Zealand at 48 kilometers in length. It will run through Manukau
, Waitakere
, and the North Shore, bypassing the Auckland city centre
and thus providing a second route through the Auckland isthmus.
The section of SH20 from Queenstown Road to Richardson Road (the Mount Roskill Extension) opened on 15 May 2009. The section of SH18 connecting the Greenhithe Bridge
and SH16 (the Upper Harbour Motorway) and the extension of SH16 to Brigham Creek Road are scheduled for completion in 2012 but the SH18 section may open ahead of schedule in April 2011.
Estimated construction costs for the only remaining link not yet under construction, the Waterview Connection, have increased to NZ$1.7 billion, though at times, they were estimated as high as $2.7 billion. As of June 2011, the project was about to receive planning approval.
(to ensure toll revenues) has been a primary contributor to the decades-long (and ongoing) delays. The rerouting is thus alleged to have significantly contributed to the need for a massive motorway through the centre of Auckland, severely damaging inner city suburbs like Freemans Bay
and Grafton
.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It runs along three existing state highways: the Southwestern Motorway (SH20), the Northwestern Motorway (part of SH16
New Zealand State Highway 16
State Highway 16 is a New Zealand state highway linking Auckland City with Wellsford, via Auckland's Northwestern Motorway, Helensville and Kaukapakapa...
) and the Upper Harbour Highway (SH18
New Zealand State Highway 18
State Highway 18 is a State Highway linking North Shore City and Waitakere City in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the northern part of the Western Ring Route...
). When finished it will surpass the Southern Motorway
Southern Motorway
Southern Motorway can refer to one of several urban motorways within New Zealand:*Auckland Southern Motorway*The former Christchurch Southern Arterial Motorway*Dunedin Southern Motorway...
to become the longest motorway in New Zealand at 48 kilometers in length. It will run through Manukau
Manukau
Manukau City was a large territorial authority in Auckland, New Zealand. The city was sometimes referred to as South Auckland, but this term did not possess official recognition and did not encompass areas like East Auckland, which was previously within the official boundaries of Manukau City...
, Waitakere
Waitakere
Waitakere City was the name of a city which existed from 1989 until 2010 in the Auckland region. It was New Zealand's fifth largest city, with an annual growth of about 2%...
, and the North Shore, bypassing the Auckland city centre
Auckland CBD
The Auckland CBD is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. Bounded by several major motorways and by the harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas...
and thus providing a second route through the Auckland isthmus.
The section of SH20 from Queenstown Road to Richardson Road (the Mount Roskill Extension) opened on 15 May 2009. The section of SH18 connecting the Greenhithe Bridge
Upper Harbour Bridge
The Upper Harbour Bridge or Greenhithe Bridge is a motorway bridge , which spans over a reach of the Waitemata Harbour and connects Hobsonville and Greenhithe , New Zealand....
and SH16 (the Upper Harbour Motorway) and the extension of SH16 to Brigham Creek Road are scheduled for completion in 2012 but the SH18 section may open ahead of schedule in April 2011.
Estimated construction costs for the only remaining link not yet under construction, the Waterview Connection, have increased to NZ$1.7 billion, though at times, they were estimated as high as $2.7 billion. As of June 2011, the project was about to receive planning approval.
History
The ring route had been planned as early as the first half of the 20th century. Some critics have alleged that the rerouting of State Highway 1 over the Auckland Harbour BridgeAuckland Harbour Bridge
The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with Northcote in North Shore City, New Zealand. The bridge is part of State Highway 1 and the Auckland Northern Motorway...
(to ensure toll revenues) has been a primary contributor to the decades-long (and ongoing) delays. The rerouting is thus alleged to have significantly contributed to the need for a massive motorway through the centre of Auckland, severely damaging inner city suburbs like Freemans Bay
Freemans Bay
Freemans Bay is the name of a former bay and now inner city suburb of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand. The historical bay was filled in to a large extent, and lost its shoreline to reclamation works...
and Grafton
Grafton
- Places :Australia* Grafton, New South WalesCanada* Grafton, New Brunswick* Grafton, OntarioEngland* Grafton, Cheshire* Grafton, Herefordshire* Grafton, North Yorkshire* Grafton, Oxfordshire* Grafton, Shropshire* Grafton, Wiltshire...
.