What's New

18 December, 2019

New $4.7 million bridge progressing

Flagstaff Team

An artist’s impression of what the Esmonde Rd bridge will look like

A $4.7 million timber bridge providing a walkway/cycle link between Francis St and Esmonde Rd is at an advanced stage of investigation.

Auckland Transport  and Auckland Council has commissioned various studies and reports on the link since 2015. A number of options have been considered, but a direct bridge across the mangroves from Francis St to Esmonde Rd has been selected as the best, documents put to a closed Devonport-Takapuna Local Board workshop show.

Unknowns in the project include possible cost overruns, its effects on the environment and the likely need to apply for notified planning consent, an AT report to the board said.

The preferred route of the new walkway and cycleway

The board will make a decision on final designs in the new year, after which it will go out for public consultation.

• The Observer wanted to report on board members’ opinions and put questions to officers, but was banned from the meeting.

This article originally appeared in the 20 December of the Rangitoto Observer.