Brynderwyns four-lane highway plan - government commitment welcomed by leaders

Northland leaders are joyous the new coalition Government has committed to building a four-lane highway alternative for the notoriously fragile Brynderwyn Hills.

Even Northland MP Grant McCallum, whose Maungatoroto farm is located on two of the proposed alternate routes, is keen for work to get underway to future-proof the vital transport link between Auckland and Northland.

However, though the commitment has been made, there is no timeline “at this point”, McCallum said.

McCallum, who recently visited the Brynderwyns site with Whangārei MP Shane Reti and Waka Kotahi, said he would soon get a “strong indication” about timelines from Transport Minster Simeon Brown.

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo said it’s “absolutely awesome the Brynderwyns are a priority”.

“I believe the rest of Northland feels that way as well.”

But the most important question is “when”, Cocurullo said.

“I’m interested to know the timeframes and finer details of when it can be finished. It should be completed within five years, to allow for growth and short-term repairs.

“Northland cannot survive more closures.”

In 2017, Waka Kotahi sought public feedback on two alternative route options to the west of State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyns.

Both options went through McCallum’s beef and dairy farm.

The Labour government put the project on hold in 2018, and Waka Kotahi is now taking another look at those options.

“If one option ends up going through our farm, that’s life,” McCallum said.

“I’m not going to stand in the way of progress. We have to build it once and build it properly.”

McCallum wouldn’t say what his preferred option was.

“All I care about is getting a four-lane road to set Northland up for the future.

“If it ends up going through our farm, so be it. I’d step aside and let the family deal with that.”

Waka Kotahi recently said the bypass options to the west of the Brynderwyns would be reconsidered as part of a business case for the Whangarei to Auckland corridor.

However, a Waka Kotahi spokeswoman said: “Recent weather events and impacts to the surrounding area will need to be incorporated into any future assessment so there might be some changes to these two alignments given we now have more up-to-date information”.

“We’re aware of the considerable interest in the longer-term plan for the Brynderwyns and are investigating options for longer-term resilience for SH1 Brynderwyns, including options suggested by the Northland community.

“When funding is secured to complete the business case, all options will be reassessed against the investment objectives at that time.”

Northland Regional Transport Committee member Simon Reid and Whangārei Deputy Mayor Phil Halse have also proposed their own idea - a viaduct up the hills’ southern flanks.

The leaders say this option would bring a cheaper and easier solution to repeated closures and would replace SH1′s existing winding corners.

In the meantime, work on SH1 through the Brynderwyns has been ongoing since Cyclone Gabrielle which caused significant damage.

The Brynderwyns were fully closed or down to one lane as emergency work was carried out, along with an earlier closure because of storm damage.

Waka Kotahi recently confirmed SH1 through the Brynderwyns would be closed for another two months in 2024 for more roadworks to bring the highway back up to scratch.

About $61 million has been approved to make sure the route can withstand future weather events and disruptions next winter.

The work was going to be carried out between Waitangi and Easter, but the dates have been deferred after an outcry from Northland communities and business leaders.

Waka Kotahi is now consulting the public to “consider the best timing for critical recovery and enabling works”.

McCallum said he had been told by geotechnical engineers that “there is a maximum of 10 years life left in the Brynderwyns, even after the repairs”.

“In the world of building roads, that’s not very long.”

Northland Corporate Group co-chair Rosie Mercier said the absence of a strong transport link between Northland and Auckland was “a formidable barrier to the region’s growth”.

“Northland Corporate Group supports investment in a resilient and efficient transport corridor that connects the region to the wider Auckland area and delivers to the diverse needs of Northland businesses.

“Our long-term vision is a coordinated investment strategy for SH1 connecting Warkworth and the Brynderwyns to Whangārei and beyond.”

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering health, food, lifestyle, business and animal welfare issues.