In case you missed it (we did!) – work has now started on the reclamation of the western Onehunga Foreshore, cut off decades ago by the SH20 motorway. New headlands, beaches and paths are coming, paid for jointly by Auckland Council and NZTA.
It’s great to hear that the appeals that temporarily stopped the project have now been resolved, and that locals and visitors will, in a mere 2 years, have a much better, much more publicly useable shoreline again.
It may take some time longer to get it clean enough to swim in the water at all times (like much of Auckland’s beaches, outfall into the area remains a problem) – but come 2014, you will be able to ride your bike across the new overbridge, and along the new recreational walk & cycleways – widened based on CAA’s input into the consents process.
[And yes, discussions are also ongoing about the shape and form of the “through link” for cyclists along SH20 on the Regional Cycle Network. This path is intended to be separated from, but directly parallel to Orpheus Drive, and also to – finally – receive a detour around the electricity pylon / motorway interchange at the eastern end.]
