Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the improvements would result in “significant travel time savings”.
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

The Government has confirmed its preferred plan to reduce congestion and create a faster route to the airport, including two new tunnels and a grade separation in the Basin Reserve.

The first new tunnel would run under Mount Victoria, 0.7 km long, parallel to the existing tunnel, and the second would run parallel to the existing Terrace Tunnel, measuring 0.5 km.

The government had already launched the idea of ​​a “Long Tunnel” of 4 km under the city.

The changes, which will be carried out by the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, are part of the program called Roads of National Significance (RoNS) and are aimed at reducing traffic congestion in Wellington and supporting economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown said.

Modeling had estimated that there would be a 30 per cent reduction in southbound traffic through the Harbor Quays once the second Mount Victoria tunnel, the Basin Reserve upgrade and the Terrace double tunnel were all completed. finished.

“Without improvements to this vital road, within ten years the region could face an increase in travel times of up to 50 per cent between Ngauranga and the airport,” Brown said.

It would also involve a grade break – a method of reducing disruption caused by crossing lanes – of State Highway 1 and local roads as part of the Basin Reserve Upgrade Project, by extending the tunnel from Arras and moving westbound SH1 traffic to the north side of the Basin.

Local traffic, including public transport, would pass through SH1 on the west side of the basin.

“These improvements will result in significant travel time savings during peak hours, reducing travel times from the northern suburbs to the CBD, hospital and airport by around 10 minutes,” he said. Brown said.

“Commuters in the capital will benefit from a significant time saving with these improvements. Those traveling on the number one bus between Island Bay and the station are expected to save nine minutes during the morning rush hour, while those taking the number two bus between Miramar and the CBD will see a saving of 11 minutes on their journeys.”

The project would be approved as a single corridor, with the project being carried out in stages.

An investment case is expected to be submitted to the NZTA board in mid-2025.