Home : Strategic
Development : Northern Arterial Route
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Introduction | |
Preferred Alignment |
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Background | |
Programme |
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NAR Project Objectives | |
Contact Us |
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FAQs | |
Introduction
The Hastings District Council have been investigating a Northern Arterial Route (NAR) for a number of years, most notably in the late 1990’s. The NAR represents an important part of the planned strategic network in the Hawke’s Bay and is currently rated as the priority 1 roading project for the region.
The Council has continued its investigation of the route and on September 11 2007, resolved to issue a Notice of Requirement of a designation of the preferred route.
Background
The Hastings Northern Arterial Route (NAR) has been part of the planned strategic network in the Hawke’s Bay since the early 1980’s, and had been previously confirmed as an important element in the strategy by the Heretaunga Plains Traffic Study (1986) and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Transportation Study in 1996.
Preparatory work for designating the NAR took place between 1996 and 1999 with wide-ranging consultation taking place and a range of studies carried out including traffic, archaeological, noise and alternative route analysis. A full Assessment of Environmental Effects was subsequently developed in 1999.
Just prior to the Hastings District Council (HDC) considering a recommendation to designate a preferred NAR alignment in mid-1999 (then known as route BDG-S), the Maori Land Court issued an interim injunction restraining the Council from doing so based on the potential impacts to Maori freehold land over that part of the route between Karamu Road and Crosses Road.
What followed was a considerable litigation over the Maori Land Courts ability to issue such an injunction. The process culminated in an appeal to the Privy Council who eventually found in favour of the Council.
Although it was found that Maori land is not immune from designation with proper compensation for necessary public purposes, a clear message from the Privy Council decision was the need for Council to carefully weigh the provisions of the Resource Management Act with respect to Maori values and that “special regard to Maori interests and values is required in such policies and decisions as determining the routes of roads”.
Although the decision did not exclude Maori land from designation, the decision did go on to state that “if an alternative route not significantly affecting Maori Land which the owners desire to retain were reasonably acceptable, even if not ideal, it would accord with the spirit of the legislation to prefer that route. So too, if there were no pressing need for a new route to link with the motorway because other access was reasonably available”.
Although the favoured route could feasibly have been designated following the decision of the Privy Council, given the elapsed time to get to that point further review work was recommended with respect to the traffic model used, the alignment options considered, a review of the Assessment of Environmental Effects and further discussion with affected landowners, Maori freehold landowners and stakeholders.
This review was further enhanced by the 2004 Heretaunga Plain Regional Transport Study which confirmed the priority need for the Northern Arterial.
Northern Arterial Route - Project Objectives
The three project objectives as adopted by the Hastings District Council are:
‘The Hastings Northern Arterial is intended to:
1. Provide a high quality, safe and efficient route between Havelock North and the Expressway that reduces congestion on Havelock Road and traffic flows on existing residential streets in the northern parts of Hastings.
2. Provide access from Havelock North and the Expressway to the northern parts of Hastings without the need for vehicles to pass through the central business district and the residential suburbs of Parkvale, Mayfair, and Mahora
3. To minimise the through movement of heavy vehicles on residential streets by linking the present and future industrial areas’
Objective 1
In order to meet the ‘high quality’ component of Objective 1, the road has been designed with a free flow speed of at least 100km per hour. Wherever possible, the route has been deigned as a limited access facility, except where adjoining properties cannot achieve alternative access.
Where this occurs, access will be permitted, but these will be minimised. For example, the route could have utilised Coventry Road and Kenilworth Road, but instead has been located a little to the north, with these roads effectively becoming service roads. This design will ensure that the route is as safe and efficient as possible, thereby meeting those components of Objective 1.
The third component of Objective 1 relates to efficiency, and one measure of that are the road user benefits produced by the route, and the associated cost/benefit ratio (CBR). Some aspects of the route design which are aimed at achieving the overall objectives may reconsidered where they contribute to the cost in excess of the traffic benefits derived from them, however it is important to consider strategic, social, cultural and environmental factors as well as cost.
Objective 2
Objective 2 relates to the way in which the NAR will help provide access to the Hastings central employment areas without the need for vehicles to travel through the CBD or residential suburbs.
It is clear from traffic modelling that the change in flow will occur with the NAR in place, and that the NAR will attract some traffic from the congested access roads of Havelock Road, and also from Heretaunga Street, St Aubyn Street and from Grove Road and Frederick Street. The access function to and from the north is taken up by Pakowhai Road, and Karamu Road, which are defined as District and Regional Arterials respectively.
Objective 3
The third objective relates to the desire to minimise heavy vehicle travel on residential streets and the need to provide better links to current and future industrial areas. A NAR is anticipated to result in small, but significant shifts away from Havelock Road, Grove Road and Frederick Street, with small increases around the industrial areas.
The most significant shifts are expected from rural roads such as Elwood Road, St Georges Road, Ruahapia Road and Napier Road through to SH2. Importantly, the NAR offers a viable alternative as traffic growth continues in the District.
In addition there are three areas under consideration for future industrial development as follows:
- The Irongate Industrial Development Area surrounding Maraekakaho Road and Irongate Road;
- The Omahu Industrial Development Area along Omahu Road to the north of Hastings; and
- The Tomoana Industrial Development area sited between the line of the Northern Arterial and Elwood Road to the east of Pakowhai Road.
The major linkages between these three are along Pakowhai Road/Maraekakaho Road, the Napier – Hastings Expressway, Irongate Road, and Omahu Road. The NAR would perform a useful function by keeping traffic associated with development in these areas, particularly heavy traffic away from the central area of Hastings.
Project Update
The project team have, over the past 18 months, continued a number of investigations and undertaken new issues in order to move towards finalising the preferred NAR alignment.
Recent areas of work have included:
- Consultation involving an Open day, provision of public information and meetings with affected Landowners/Stakeholders.
- Workshops with Councillors
- Updating the assessment of alternative options between Karamu Road and Crosses Road
- Investigations into alternative alignment options along Coventry Road and between Karamu and Crosses Road
- Investigation into improvements needed along Crosses Road
- Refinement of key intersection arrangements including the proposed St Georges / Crosses Road intersection
- Investigations into making the full route Limited Access, including Evenden Road and Crosses Road.
Ongoing meetings have been held with affected landowners and stakeholders.
Preferred Alignment
The preferred alignment is indicatively shown on the plan [Click here]. Apart from some minor variations, the preferred route remains very similar to the originally favoured BDG-S route.
Programme
Lodging the Notice of Requirement – September 2007
- On September 11 2007 the Council resolved to issue a Notice of Requirement (NoR), which notifies Hastings District Council that they intend to 'designate' the project corridor.
The designation will ultimately protect the land needed for the construction, operation and maintenance of the NAR. The NoR will be notified and open for public submissions. More information on the designation process can be found under FAQs.
Notification of NAR – November 2007
- It is anticipated that on November 21 2007 the NAR Notice of Requirement will be notified to the public. A submission process will then follow in which the public will be invited to view the NAR Notice of Requirement and make a submission in support or opposition. There will be an opportunity, if wished, for submitters to voice their opinion in a hearing. This will be held at a later date, expected in early April 2008.
Lodging Resource Consents - November 2007
- Following the lodgement of the Notice of Requirement, resource consent applications will be simultaneously made to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, in terms of water/drainage and sediment control.
Road Stopping Procedures - November 2007
- Two roads are scheduled to be formally 'stopped' when new portions of road between Coventry Road and Karamu Road are constructed. Kenilworth Road at Karamu Road will be stopped to make the new roundabout between the NAR and Karamu Road more safe. Residents of Kenilworth Road will use Woodstock Ave and Caroline Road. An unformed road in the vicinity will also be closed (currently part of the showgrounds). The Elwood Road rail crossing will also be closed when the new rail crossing at Coventry Road is established.
Construction - 2009 onwards
- It is anticipated that once the formal statutory process is satisfactorily concluded, the NAR will be constructed in sections from north to south from 2009.
Contact Us
If you would like to discuss any issues, or need answers to specific questions, or you wish to be added to the mailing database, please contact a member of the project team:
Murray Douglas (HDC
Strategic Projects Manager)
06 8780510 ext 8695
murray.douglas@hdc.govt.nz
Mark Clews (HDC Strategic Development Manager)
(06) 878 0510 ext. 8668
markac@hdc.govt.nz
