Sealing of Ahuroa Road

Hi all

Andy Finch of AT has sent me the detailed spreadsheet of the unsealed road priority.

From this spreadsheet it is easy to derive the length of time before a road is sealed. Simply accumulate the estimated cost and divide by the annual sealing budget ($3.4 million – targeted transport levy).

On the AT website Ahuroa Road has priority 6 but if you read the small print this is only for the highest priority section. Ahuroa Road is in 5 sections and the priority six is only for a very small 0.41 Km stretch.

Here are the results in years before the following roads are sealed:

Ahuroa Road .41Km 4 years
Ahuroa Road .46Km 4 years
Ahuroa Road 5.08Km 6 years
Ahuroa Road .49Km 11 years
Ahuroa Road 2.44Km 30 Years

Martins Access 2.39Km 28 years
Wechs Access 2.98Km 36 years
Komokoriki Hill Road 6.33Km 40 years
Wilson Road .39 Km 41 years
J Tolpohf Road .48Km 54 years
Hawkens Road .97KM 62 years

Ahuroa Valley Road 2.75Km 66 years
Poyner Road 1.45Km 72 Years
Clifford Road .97Km 76 years
Parker Road .94Km 80 years

Ahuroa has had no capital infrastructure since 2010 and the future looks grim under the present regime.

It makes one wonder why Ahuroa ratepayers are paying their rates? Auckland Council and Auckland Transport are diverting our rate money into the CBD and City Rail link. Obviously of no use to us, we cannot even connect to public transport.

Elections are coming soon and it is time to think about Local Board members and Councilors that will support Rural Rodney and stop the centric Super City spending.

Regards

Glen Ashton Ahuroa Hill Country Farming

0274 906 889

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From: Andy Finch (AT) [mailto:[email protected]

Sent: 12 July 2016 9:52 a.m.

To: Glen Ashton <[email protected]>; Tony McCartney (AT) <[email protected]>; David Warburton (AT) <[email protected]>; ‘Mayor Len Brown’ <[email protected]>; ‘Stephen Town’ <[email protected]>; Councillor Penny Webster <[email protected]>; ‘Phelan Pirrie – Rodney’ <[email protected]>; ‘Hibiscus & Bays” <[email protected]>; ‘Office of Mark Mitchell MP’ <[email protected]>; [email protected]

Subject: RE: Sealing of Ahuroa Road

Hi Glen,

Thank you for your email dated 30 June. I apologise for the delay in replying.

As requested I attach the spreadsheet used by Auckland Transport to prioritise the unsealed road network for sealing. This spreadsheet does not include an analysis of the specific length of time that will pass before a road will obtain funding for sealing. I believe that this would be misleading as any calculation would need to make assumptions around the level of funding to be identified for seal extensions in the Long Term Plan to be published in 2018 and subsequent iterations. It would also need to assume an average cost of sealing which may or may not be realised across the entire sealing programme.

I am aware of your concerns regarding the summarising of a number of unsealed road sections on the same road into one line on the spreadsheet. I addressed this in my response to you dated 13 May 2016. An updated prioritised list fully addressing this issue will be published early 2017.

The point you have made regarding rates and the targeted transport levy would be better addressed by Auckland Council.

Regard

Andy Finch
Manager, Strategic Asset Management and Systems
6 Henderson Valley Rd, Henderson, Auckland 0612
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142
Auckland Transport

P 09 355 3553 ext (48)9579 | F 09 355 3550
DDI +64 9 4474579
Mobile 021331066

www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz | [email protected]

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From: Glen Ashton [mailto:[email protected]
Sent: Thursday, 30 June 2016 11:05 a.m.

To: Andy Finch (AT) <[email protected]>; Tony McCartney (AT) <[email protected]>; David Warburton (AT) <[email protected]>; ‘Mayor Len Brown’ <[email protected]>; ‘Stephen Town’ <[email protected]>; Councillor Penny Webster <[email protected]>; ‘Phelan Pirrie – Rodney’ <[email protected]>; ‘Hibiscus & Bays” <[email protected]>; ‘Office of Mark Mitchell MP’ <[email protected]>; [email protected]

Subject: Sealing of Ahuroa Road

Hi Andy

Thanks for the reply (below)

The analysis that supports the road sealing priority list used to be on the AT website. It would be useful if you could send me that spreadsheet (as per your offer). I believe that it would be very easy to assess the time it will take to complete any and all unsealed roads.

From your detailed analysis of each road section (I have the old spreadsheet before it was taken off the AT web site) we know the Km to be sealed and the priority order. We know that the annual budget for extension road sealing is $1.4 million per annum. We know that road sealing costs $1 million per Km. Thus only 1.4 Km will get sealed per year. You could add a couple of columns to your detailed spreadsheet to calculate the years to completion of each section. Not hard. If AT cannot do this, then send me the latest detailed spreadsheet and I will provide the spreadsheet calculations free of charge.

Thus given that the lowest priority of a section of the Ahuroa Rd is 147 then from you old detailed spreadsheet it will take 40 years to complete! Side roads will take 300 to 800 years to be sealed.

I believe AT are deliberately misleading the public by publishing only the summary spreadsheet. Several residents of Ahuroa now think that the Ahuroa Road sealing is going to be completed in the near future given it is a priority 6 (which in fact is only a small section of .41Km).

An honest publication of the timeframe for road sealing extensions on the AT website would be a better approach. That would provide ratepayers, councillors, AC staff and AT staff with accurate information from which a debate can be held.

Perhaps AT and AC do not wish to be drawn into public debate and wish to continue diverting Ahuroa rates into CBD congestion issues funding instead of improving our local Ahuroa infrastructure. Ahuroa rates should provide Ahuroa infrastructure according to the Local Bodies Act. Rural Rodney is being neglected by the Centric Super City. Ahuroa has had no capital infrastructure since being forced into the Super City. The reason we pay rates is to sustain and improve our local environment, certainly not to fund downtown projects, 80 Km away that have no benefit to us.

Why are Ahuroa ratepayers paying a three year targeted transport levy when there is absolutely no benefit to our area? I believe that AC and AT are in breach of the Local Bodies Act.

I await your reply.
Regards
Glen Ashton
 
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Dear Glen,

Sealing of Ahuroa Road – CAS-276834-P5T2Y8

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the updated road sealing priority list published early 2016.

As you have identified this updated list aggregated all unsealed sections of Ahuroa Road. These are detailed on the attachment to this letter. It is probable that the three sections with the highest priority will be aggregated and sealed together.

It is difficult to assess how long it will take to seal Ahuroa Road in its entirety. The funding for seal extensions over the period 2015 to 2018 has been set along with the programme for delivery of the highest priority projects. However, the next Council Long Term Plan will be published in 2018. This will identify future funding for seal extensions and accordingly determine the level of sealing that can achieved over the subsequent 3 years. 

The analysis that supports the sealing priority list would be better demonstrated. Please contact me if you would like to take up this offer and this can then be arranged.

Yours sincerely

Andy Finch
Manager, Strategic Asset Management and Systems