Aucklanders will know more about the future of the existing harbour bridge and the makeup of a second Waitematā Harbour crossing by mid-next year. 

While a contract has yet to be finalised, the New Zealand transport agency, Waka Kotahi, has announced WSP, Beca, SYSTRA and Cox Architecture as the preferred bidders for an alliance to work on the Waitematā harbour connection project. 

Aurecon and Arup have been announced as the preferred bidders for the alliance to deliver the next stage of the contentious Auckland light rail project. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Waka Kotahi transport services general manager Brett Gliddon said the Waitematā alliance planned to deliver a recommendation for a package of transport improvements as part of an indicative business base for the crossing project by the middle of next year. 

“This will encompass all modes [of transport] including light rail, buses, connections for walking and cycling, vehicles and freight, along with determining the future use of the Auckland Harbour Bridge,” he said. 

He said the "long-term solutions" would need significant investment and involve complex large-scale construction, which was expected to take more than 15 years of design and construction work.

Both alliances, which are responsible for planning and design, were named as preferred bidders by Waka Kotahi and the Auckland light rail unit after a competitive tender process.  

On light rail, Auckland light rail project director Tommy Parker said the alliance would work on a final route and proposed locations of up to 18 stations.

The lack of detail about this led Auckland council to exclude a swathe of the isthmus from its notified plan change responding to directives around housing intensification. 

Referring to the alliance, Parker said: “It will also develop light rail's final corridor business case, building on the indicative business case developed by the Auckland light rail establishment unit, as well as look at how the system will be built and prepare the consents needed for construction."

Next election a light rail referendum 

As BusinessDesk had previously revealed, the main construction contract for light rail may not be awarded until September 2025, according to a timeframe included in tender documents. 

Earlier this year, the government endorsed partially-tunnelled light rail as its preferred option for the city centre to Māngere corridor. 

The project would be the largest ever undertaken in NZ if it goes ahead and has been costed at $14.6 billion. Treasury put the upper range at $29.2b. 

The government had faced heavy criticism over delays in progressing the city-shaping transport scheme, which proponents argue is needed to alleviate congestion, spur urban development and offer a low-emissions transport alternative. 

In 2017, when she was the leader of the opposition, Jacinda Ardern said light rail between Wynyard Quarter and Mt Roskill would be built by 2021. 

The Labour government now won’t be making a final investment decision on the project until 2024, after the next national and local body elections. The timing means it’s possible light rail may not go ahead, as the National party is opposed to the project. 

Working together and additional contracts

Parker and Gliddon said the alliances working on light rail and the Waitematā crossing projects would work closely together to ensure a coordinated response. 

“Working together is essential to create a first-class, efficient and fully integrated transport network serving Aucklanders of today and future generations tomorrow,” the two men said in a joint statement. 

Two further contracts have also been awarded for light rail. 

Atkins NZ (SNC-Lavalin) will work with Aurecon and Arup to develop the way light rail is operated and maintained when open. 

Law firms Buddle Findlay and Simpson Grierson will progress the legal work for the project.