Money for the expressway – for whom does the bell toll?

Money for the expressway – for whom does the bell toll?

As I write this, Waka Kotahi’s consultation has just closed on a proposal to toll a fair chunk of the yet-to-be-built Ōtaki to North of Levin expressway.

On first thought the proposal seemed fair enough. For a couple of dollars you’ll save time, it will be safer and as a user you’re contributing to the cost of construction and maintenance of the highway.

But then I looked around me in Ōtaki. We have pockets of poverty, we have low-decile schools, we have an ageing population, we have poor public transport options. Should we, as likely regular users, be penalised the most by having to pay a toll?

Many of us have to travel to Levin or Palmerston North for hospital appointments or to visit whānau. These visits can be several times a week, and in the case of Palmerston North, there will be a parking fee at the end of it.

Despite the amalgamation of 1989 when we were incorporated into the Kāpiti district after decades as the Ōtaki Borough Council, under the Horowhenua County Council, Ōtaki still has strong links to Levin and other towns north.

A bus to Levin – but not back

Alert readers will have noted our page 3 “brief” about the 291 bus between Waikanae and Levin. Those thinking they might use it to get to Levin and back will be disappointed.

When it runs – on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons – it goes to Levin, but not back.

The bus is jointly funded by the two regional councils within which it operates – Greater Wellington up to Ōtaki, and Horizons north of Ōtaki. That they ever agreed to this bus is a surprise, given the difficulty different councils seem to have in cooperating.

What is not a surprise is the dog’s breakfast they’ve made of it.

When Ōtaki has been crying out for years for a decent public transport service to the north, they give us a bus that travels only twice a week. If you want to use it to get to Waikanae and back on those days, all well and good. But Levin? Maybe get a bike.

Cone for cone, we’re tops

There have been a few gripes around town about the roadworks – and, of course, the cones.

For our small geographical area, right now we probably have more cones per kilometre of roadway than Auckland. And yes, it’s a hassle when you have to sit waiting for a stop/go light, or have to go down Waerenga Road rather than Mill Road to get back to the Railway.

But this won’t be forever. We’ll get over it.

The fact is the works now under way will future-proof our infrastructure for the next generation at least. It will help us avoid the near catastrophic failures that are occurring almost daily in our big cities, and some smaller towns.

Wellington’s ancient, groaning pipes are giving way. Up to 50 percent of the water that is expensively captured, stored, treated and distributed is being sloshed down gutters. All because no one wanted to front up to the proposition that money needed to be spent on something that wouldn’t win votes.

We’re lucky in that a fair chunk of the works happening here are being funded courtesy of the previous government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund.

Other than ensuring we have good three waters (drinking, storm and wastewater) resilience, the town is also better able to accommodate desperately needed housing.