You may be aware that one of the Government’s recently funded projects is a road and bridge known as Penlink.  The new road connects the motorway from just south of the BP garage on SH1 with the Whangaparāoa peninsula.  The road will run across the farm land passing near Stillwater and then onto a new bridge that crosses the Weiti River.  There is also roading to be constructed on the peninsula itself.

The responsibility for building this road has been transferred from Auckland Transport to Waka Kotahi (NZTA), who since July 2020 have been finalising the engineering design and the environmental protection mechanisms. We understand that construction is scheduled to start late this year.

The Society is currently in discussion with Waka Kotahi to ensure that the work can be completed with as little impact on the environment as possible. Areas that the Society is investigating include sediment from construction activities potentially affecting the health of the Okura Estuary. In addition we are concerned about sediment flowing down the Weiti River and damaging the Long Bay Okura Marine Reserve and bird nesting sites. Our discussions with Waka Kotahi are ongoing and we will let you know the results shortly.
 

Working in the Long Bay Regional Park