The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is calling for public feedback on a walking and cycling pathway planned for Auckland's North Shore.
File photo. Photo: 123RF
The shared path is planned to stretch from Westhaven to Albany.
It will connect the proposed Westhaven to Akoranga pathway across the Waitematā Harbour to the section already under construction between Constellation Drive and Albany as part of the Northern Corridor Improvements (NCI) project.
As part of the business case for the Akoranga to Constellation Drive section, NZTA is seeking feedback on the route and design. Consultation is now open online until Sunday, 14 June 2020.
Once completed, it will connect the entire length of the Northern Pathway from Central Auckland to Albany, as well as the North Shore communities along the way, into Auckland's growing cycle network.
NZTA director of regional relationships Steve Mutton said it was at the early stages of the design and business case process.
He said NZTA was consulting widely to ensure the pathway met the needs of its customers and delivered the best fit-for-purpose design.
"We've been talking with mana whenua, our partners and key stakeholders. They've asked us to look beyond the pathway as simply a commuter route between Central Auckland and the North Shore and to think of it as a resource connecting the community to schools, public transport hubs, recreation centres, parks and town centres.
"We also want to hear from people who live locally and others who will use the path or are interested in the project, so we understand their priorities and concerns as we move towards identifying our preferred route," he said.
"We want to capture local knowledge of the area, including how people want to use this section of the Northern Pathway, the destinations they want to reach, and what will make the path attractive for them to use."
The pathway will follow the alignment of the Northern Motorway (SH1) between Akoranga and Constellation Drive but it has not been decided which side of the motorway the pathway would be on.
"Our consultation processes usually provide opportunities for face-to-face engagement. With the current level of Covid-19 restrictions, we continue to take a careful approach to our public engagement and are only providing opportunities for engagement online."