Here at Heart of the City, we’re big advocates of the Auckland
SkyPath, the proposed walking and cycling path across the Auckland Harbour
Bridge.
Skypath is a transformational project that will deliver a
world-class facility with the potential to be as iconic on Auckland’s skyline
as our Sky Tower, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge or Sydney’s Harbour
Bridge. The pathway ticks all the boxes; economically for its investors,
socially for the Aucklanders and visitors who use the crossing and
environmentally as an alternative to travelling across the harbour by car, bus
or ferry.
The project has gained a lot of traction recently, with a conditional
tick from Auckland Council’s Transport Committee and the support of the New Zealand Transport Agency. The next step is consideration by Council’s Finance
Committee in June; subject to approval at this level, the project would proceed
to resource consent, community consultation and finally construction.
But where did it all begin?
In 2003, forty four years after the bridge was officially
opened to vehicular traffic in 1959, a petition organised by Cycle Action Auckland gained 6,700 signatures in support of walking and cycling access. Subsequent
to this, Transit (now NZTA) carried out a feasibility study on the proposal,
with the finding that this access would not be considered before the
construction of a ‘second bridge’.
In 2007, strengthening work was undertaken by Transit on the
bridge’s clip-on lanes, with future-proofing for potential cycle and pedestrian
lanes, however, in 2008 NZTA advised that this access would not be possible and
that there would be no further investigation.
A public walk across the bridge was planned for its 50th
anniversary in 2009, but NZTA refused to permit the activity on the grounds
that it would be too popular. However, the walk proceeded later in the year
anyway, organised by the GetAcross campaign as a public demonstration of
support for cycle and walking access. More than 5000 Aucklanders participated
in this march.
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| Participants in the 2009 GetAcross march across the Harbour Bridge |
In 2010, NZTA agreed to review the Pathway concept, working
with engineering consultants Beca to assess the feasibility. The following
year, newly inaugurated ‘Super City’ Mayor Len Brown included the Pathway in
his list of development priorities for the Auckland region. NZTA agree to
permit the Pathway, but confirm it will not fund the project. Later in 2011,
the concept design for Skypath is launched by Mayor Len Brown and Auckland
Central MP Nikki Kaye, with Aucklanders asked for their feedback.
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| One of the Skypath concept designs presented in 2011 |
Last year, Auckland Transport commissioned Ernst & Young
to review Skypath’s business plan. Fifteen potential investors were approached,
with the Public Infrastructure Partnership (PIP) Fund making an offer to 100%
fund the project.
Early in 2013, NZTA adopted Skypath as its preferred option
for walking and cycling access across the Waitemata Harbour, recognising that
the crossing could be integrated with plans for an additional Harbour crossing.
Auckland Council’s Transport Committee gave its provisional support to Skypath,
sending it for consideration by the Strategy and Finance Committee in June
2013.
We look forward to seeing Skypath’s success at this next
milestone and to watching the continued development of the project. We’re
hopeful, along with the Skypath team, that the pathway may be complete and open
to the public in 2015.
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| Artist's impression of the Skypath illuminated by night. |
