Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out.
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Our header image this week is by Brett Phibbs and shows the Auckland Harbour Bridge lit up by the Vector Lights in the rainbow colours of the hei tiki logo for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (via Our Auckland).
The week on Greater Auckland
- On Monday, a guest post by Ben van Bruggen asked: could outdoor dining revitalise Queen St?
- Tuesday’s post by Matt looked at steps Auckland Council is taking to untangle our fundamentally broken transport-planning system…
- …and on Wednesday, Matt dug into the terrible economics (and not great political optics) of the Northern Expressway Boondoggle, which is set to soak up at least 10% of Aotearoa’s investment for a generation.
- Thursday’s post by Connor took a frank look at the odds of achieving cross-party consensus on the infrastructure pipeline, and the need for good faith.
And this week, a special shout-out to our sister site, Talk Welly, which has gone into hibernation (or summer slumber?) after a fabulous seven year run.
In a typically gracious and witty farewell-for-now post, guiding light Isabella Cawthorn sketches the heroic range of transformative mahi Talk Welly managed to accomplish, working pro bono with good citizens of all kinds, inside and outside the organisations that shape our capital city. We especially love this paragraph; we feel seen:
To the advisors, informers, explainers, point-outers, steerers, experts of all kinds, who helped me – a novice – get something useful to the public about your expert fields. Insight about towns and cities invariably demands both multidisciplinarity and narrow deep expertise. I am an urbanist Swiss army knife, a multidisciplinary nerd haunted by the fact that my little hacksaw, screwdriver and bottle-opener are feeble, basic versions of the dedicated, specialist tools. So thanks, all you dedicated tools, for your help with exciting and activating regular people. Love you nerds!
Talk Welly, we salute you. Truly, the real treasure was the friends (and the city) you made along the way. Speaking of nerds, the good news is that Urbanerds lives on with Isabella as continuing co-host. Onwards, upwards, nerdwards!
Mayor’s maverick bridge brainwave
Is there a full moon or something? This week, Mayor Wayne Brown has been touting what he deems a sensible solution for the Alternative Waitematā Harbour Crossing: a bridge from Meola Reef to Kauri Point.
He attempted to explain how it would work in a remarkably loquacious and unfiltered interview on RNZ’s Checkpoint yesterday evening (the audio is quite something).
[Lisa] Owen pressed Brown for an estimate on how long such a bridge would take to build.
“I’ve just had an international construction company come out… they glanced at what I was doing, rushed back and said, ‘We’d love to get on with this.’ So it’d take a helluva lot less time than it’ll take the government to buggerise around, making a decision about it.”
…Brown said he had not yet spoken to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown about the idea.
“I did tell the prime minister I was going to sink the bloody tunnel for him, and save him a helluva lot of money. Because it’s embarrassing for a prime minister to be saying we’re going to be spending the entire road budget of the next 10 years on one project, in one sitting.”
Owen asked if Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was pleased with this exchange.
“I don’t know, he probably is, I suppose, I hope he will be.”
We agree with the Mayor on one thing: the current tunnel solution, most recently costed at $56,000,000,000, is ridiculous and “will never exist.” He’s also not wrong that “bridges are cheaper than tunnels, and short bridges are even cheaper.” But beyond that, his brainwave is the definition of a non-starter, for a multitude of reasons.
See our previous posts on ACT’s attempt to resurrect this terrible zombie idea, and how it’s not much worse than the mega-tunnels NZTA has been both dreaming about for years while simultaneously backing away from the idea.
What Auckland really needs and deserves – as we argued in this post, and as confirmed by every consultation Waka Kotahi has undertaken which repeatedly shows strong support for light rail and active transport – is a smart and beautiful bridge that ties into existing connections and provides for the missing modes.
This isn’t rocket science, it’s bridge maths. Portland’s Tilikum Crossing (images below via Donald McDonald Architects) stands as a classic example of how to do it.
NW Busway going great guns
Great news this week, as Auckland Transport announced that ridership on the new Western Express services is 40% higher than expected.
Passenger trips on the 21 new routes have already exceeded AT’s end of year target of 3.5 million, with some routes recording more than double the expected number of passengers.
…
AT’s Head of Public Transport Services Planning and Development Pete Moth says it is fantastic more people are using the bus than ever before across all parts of West Auckland, with the flow on effects keeping our city moving.
“The patronage figures show that if frequent services are provided where people can just turn up to their bus stop and go, we can start to shift the dial on our city’s congestion.
Yet more proof that Aucklanders want and will use public transport as soon as it becomes fast, frequent and reliable (as per this previous guest post).
As Te Atatū MP Phil Twyford notes in the press release, “Westies have been crying out for a solution to chronic congestion for years.” This uptake is a classic case of unleashing pent-up demand, a welcome relief from decades of bad planning, mismanagement and the result transport inequity.
Moreover, it looks like the Northern Busway – which in its early years, galloped into an early lead as “an instant and enduring success” for rapid transit in Auckland – might have some competition for the crown:
Patronage on the new WX1 and 11 bus services has been growing more quickly than when Northern Busway services were first introduced on Auckland’s North Shore.
“When the Northern Express was first launched, it took four years for it to reach the same popularity as the Western Express and 11 bus services have in just eight months,” Mr Moth says.
Ombudsman to check how Auckland Transport handles official information
The Ombudsman, Peter Boshier, is to look into how Auckland Transport handles official information (along with Wellington Water, Wellington City Council, Marlborough District Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council):
Peter Boshier says Wellington Water and Auckland Transport “huge impact on people’s daily lives” and it was “really important for residents to have open and transparent access to information about the decisions that affect them”.
There was no suggestion either had done anything to prompt the “self-initiated” investigations, Boshier saying the probes were “part of a regular programme of looking at Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) practice and compliance at local authorities”.
The Ombudsman would like to hear from anyone who has requested information from the named organisations, and says:
“I also want to hear from anyone who has attended a public meeting, workshop or informal meeting organised by the Councils, or an Auckland Transport meeting about making, or [having] made, a bylaw. I’m interested in your views on these local authorities’ commitment to openness and transparency.”
The surveys are open until Friday 29 November 2024. You can provide feedback on Auckland Transport here (and go here for Marlborough District Council, Wellington City Council, Wellington Water and Queenstown Lakes District Council). More about the investigation and the terms of reference is here.
Pitt St to be no longer the pits for people on bikes
Last week we shared the latest update about the Karanga-ā-hape Station Precinct Integration Project, with a focus on Auckland Transport’s last-minute back-pedal on pedestrianising Mercury Lane. A better piece of news, which got a bit lost in the noise, is proper protected bike lanes are coming for Pitt St.
If AT can then solve the gap between Pitt St and Te Wai Horotiu – via Vincent St or Greys Ave or hey, why not both? – we’ll really be getting somewhere network-wise.
Also in the area: this week the Milky Way landed in Mercury Lane, as more than a hundred aluminium panels in blue and white were lifted onto the face of the Karanga-a-hape Station. Designed by iwi artist Reuben Kirkwood (Ngāi Tai) alongside Link Alliance’s architecture team, the panels serve a dual purpose:
[They] protect Karanga-a-Hape’s ventilation and air intake systems while their diamond pattern design represents Te Ātea, the stars of the eternal cosmos, and the place of Aotearoa New Zealand in Te Ikaroa (the Milky Way).
Great North Road watch
Excellent news slipped into Auckland Transport’s quarterly update to the Waitematā Local Board: confirmation that work is planned to start in October on the the repeatedly delayed Great North Road upgrade. Thank goodness – this project has the overwhelming and unanimous support of dozens of elected members, local business associations, residents’ associations, schools, and community groups, and can’t come soon enough.
Also in the same update, a report back on the results of the recent LAMP (Local Active Modes Plan) consultation. It contains a number of suggestions for quick solutions to make the area easier and safer to bike and walk around. Unfortunately, the attachment is small, oddly cropped, and shown at 90 degrees, so quite difficult to read (maybe the Ombudsman could look into that?) but it looks very promising.
More trees, yes please
Further to our note last week about trees being installed on Victoria St as part of Te Hā Noa, Auckland Council shared some great images of the green giants being carefully lowered into place. That’s Ent-ertainment (see what we did there!).
People will see pōhutukawa, pūriri, taraire and tītoki greening the fringes of the redesigned street, with 900 plants creating understories beneath the canopies by the end of September. The 11 native trees [installed this week] are the first of 20 of varying sizes being planted by Auckland Council in Victoria Street.
Will CRL’s Maungawhau Station retain Ruru Lane?
As the CRL stations take shape, attention is turning to the shape of the streets outside. A reader writes with a question about Maungawhau Station, which will have a new footpath/cycleway approach, shown on the map below curving away from the station between development site A and B.
But it’s unclear what’s happening with Ruru Lane (highlighted in a red square below) which offers a more direct approach for pedestrians coming from the southeast. A recent Community Liaison Group was presented with a proposal to make it a service-only lane for the future development of block A.
A short period of feedback has closed, and our reader notes that future access is yet to be clarified.
My understanding from the beginning of the CRL project was that Ruru Lane was supposed to replace the old access ramp from Mt Eden Rd, but from the presentation at the CLG they said this will be a service lane, and will no longer connect with Mt Eden Road.We are a bit concerned about this proposal as we live south-east of Maungawhau station and it feels like accessibility hasn’t been properly thought out for people trying to access the station from all directions. This adds a significant detour for us to access the station and seems like a last minute change.
Someone tell the Minister: safe speeds save lives – and money
After seeing the results of safer speeds in Welsh towns and cities, a UK insurance company s pledging to drop rates for drivers in line with the introduction of 20mph (30kmh) safer speed areas.
Earlier this year, esure reported a 20% drop in claims for car accidents in Wales since this nationwide limit was introduced.
Now the firm has found that extending the restrictions across the United Kingdom would result in an average £50 [per annum] saving for drivers.
esure’s Peter Martin-Simon, Chief Customer Officer, said: “We are already seeing the benefits in places where 20mph speed limits have been introduced. Not only does this make roads safer for drivers and pedestrians, but an extension would also materially reduce the number of car accidents, as well as the severity and cost of those accidents.
“Within three months of us identifying a new 20mph zone, we will proactively reduce policy prices for customers.”
Three timely transport stories that’ll tickle you
- Joel McManus at the Spinoff continues his tireless pursuit of truth, this time looking for the invisible bike lanes that have purportedly destroyed businesses despite being nowhere near them. Real X-Files stuff, an absolute corker. What he discovered will amaze you!
- And Colin Peacock for RNZ’s Mediawatch looked at the largely credulous coverage of the announcement of the National Land Transport Plan. What he discovered – including about ministerial nicknames – will astound you.
- And this just in (still paywalled): Marc Daalder at Newsroom quantifies the climate impact of this year’s Budget, using the universal measure of not-greatness: it’s the equivalent of putting an extra 100,000 cars on the road. (The story also notes a last-minute scramble to inform government: “officials at the Ministry for the Environment who usually vet the climate effects of new policies were shut out of the process.”) Are we spotting a pattern here?
Who builds houses?
Speaking of patterns: in a recent conversation about housing on what used to be Twitter, Paul Le Comte updated this Stats NZ graph with a political overlay. Notice any trends?
Te wiki o te reo Māori: city centre edition
Word on the street is that September is a great month to visit the city centre, with new light sculptures around the place to celebrate Māōri language week. These include a new neon artwork (below) created by Ataahua Papa (Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta) and Angus Muir Design for Auckland Council. The three neon words refer to this whakatauki:
Ko te reo kia rere. Ko te reo kia tika. Ko te reo kia Māori.
Let the language flow. Let the language be correct. Let the language come from a te ao Māori worldview.
There’s also an excellent exhibition at the Central City Library featuring some never-before-publicly-seen taonga – and an exhibition on the wall outside the library, plus other events around the city. Head on out and get enlightened!
As always, feel free to share your observations and any recent stories in the comments below. Have a great weekend, everyone – kia pai tō rā whakatā, whanau!
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Before any additional harbour crossing is built, travel demand management on the existing bridge will moderate traffic.
Then any new bridge project needs to have a purpose statement, i.e. what problem does building it solve. I think travel demand management will remove what many people might consider the largest problem.
We shouldn’t automatically select widening the existing motorway/bridge.
If the identified problem is the capacity of north south vehicle travel or resilience of north south travel, then its possible that a 2 lane bridge linking arterial roads in suburbs some distance from the existing bridge might give the best BCR. This might be Western Springs to Kauri Point, or Devonport to Parnell. As the mayor said, where cities have built additional bridges across rivers, the second bridge is normally built some distance away from the first. This promotes development and improvement of the area, and provides more options for reduced travel time.
I thought the clip-ons had limited life. Ergo, they will need to be removed at some point in the future, leaving a four lane bridge with an 8 lane motorway on either end. Therefore, why not build a new bridge adjacent to it? Four general traffic lanes, two dedicated bus lanes and something meaningful for active modes. Saves blasting a motorway through Western Springs and Birkenhead too – talk about paving paradise.
Do we have to route everything through the CBD, again?
The clip-ons don’t have a definite end of life any time soon, if we manage and maintain them appropriately.
Since the previous strengthening there has been no finites life placed on the clipons. Certainly trucks and double decker buses will be slowly killing them but there is no current concern. If there was, they would be directed towards the centre span, per previous. At this point, building an adjacent bridge would make sense, particular to remove load from the northern main pier, which is not founded on the best ground
Old mate Wayne with his one step forward, one step backwards. Big brain energy to suggest building a bridge at the most narrow and shallow point would be the cheapest. You can’t make it up..
That said, once again Labour are to blame for all this. Had they not mentioned some stupid bike bridge for a billion dollars and instead went with active + buslanes (to be converted to LR) for a billion or so more..which would have cost more but at least it would gave changed the conversaton, we wouldn’t be here now. They could have even just said it was Public Transport bridge and thrown cycling in once underway so as to not stoke up the culture wars.
I am not a Labour supporter, and they do have to shoulder the blame for trying for trying to sell a poo sandwich presented to them by the ‘experts’ at Waka Kotahi/AT, but suspect the desire for more glorious mighty roads and tunnels stems deeper within organizations that advise the politicians.
It felt like once National came to power, they didn’t resist and push back with evidence, but pivoted at break-neck speed to return to what they know/like.
I do wonder if Labour has learnt any lessons so once they are back in power, they need to make significant changes if they really do want to reduce emissions and balance transport modes
It is depressing watching them argue over the merits of broadening the tax base whilst being utterly unrepentant about the way they spend it.
It shows that they’re not seriously interested in infrastructure or economic development.
Don’t know if this has been covered here before but the general public lacks understanding of what’s considered good transport policy. Spending all that money on roads will not make a meaningful difference to a majority of people.
So that’s why I’ve uploaded a video about the problem of building more roads to solve Auckland’s traffic (apologize if this comes across as self promotion). What I mention probably won’t come as a surprise to those who’ve been on this blog for a while and/or have a good understanding on how transport modes work but it is a good refresher on induced demand.
Also really appreciate your work GA. Always enjoy reading your posts on Auckland’s urban issues.
The changes to the cycleway on Pitt St as part of the K’Rd Station integration are a bit lacking. https://at.govt.nz/media/ju1bmhis/karangahape-road-precinct-design-drawings.pdf
The existing west side footpath is/was a 2 way shared path connecting at the north to the pink path and Nelson St cycleway.
The new arrangement is unidirectional cycle lanes on each side of the road, which is great but there doesn’t appear to be any connection for southbound bicycles at the Hopetoun St intersection. No Barnes Dance crossing or diagonal cycle crossing.
Also the southbound lane passes in front of the bus stops outside the YMCA. These bus stops are typically very busy at evening peak, filling and often blocking the footpath. I think it would be a lot safer if the cycle lane had passed behind the bus shelters, similar to K’Rd rainbow bridge.
How many times do we have to repeat…WE HAVE A GODDAMN BRIDGE!!! It is just full of stupid cars.
Just PROHIBIT cars from using it, and guess what…more people will use public transport, people will become healthier, in body, mind and spirit, as they walk, or bike, or scoot, or skate over.
Personally I think running should be banned as well, like driving a personal vehicle, it is a serious waste of time!
Anyway, happy Friday, by the way, our current Mayor does have something to do with construction up north where he used to be Mayor so possibly he is talking more future personal business, than actually OUR beautiful city.
bah humbug
Sidewalks should be for doing the Caterpillar only and the only acceptable means of vehicular transport is by way of gyroscopic velocipedes.
Those neon Te Reo signs are really cool. Auckland is such a drab city and these (together with other planned and recent improvements) are a welcome touch.
Meola Reef Bridge: easy bridge over the harbour – two major road tunnels to connect it to anything? How about make bike/RTN only?
Perhaps the Mayor could go back to 1972 and tough it out with Muldoon. He could use that TARDIS that is about to materialise in Mercury Lane (Accessible toilet with an 11% grade footpath to get to it?).
Chris Bishop’s easy fix to the housing problem – Vote of No Confidence, call election.
I am disappointed that the NZ political parties, have not sought more inspiration from successful transportation policies in other countries. Around the world, many nations are shifting focus from expanding roads to exploring alternative forms of transportation. These can include trains, buses, cycleways, and walkways, initiatives that not only address mobility needs but also contribute positively to the environmental sustainability of these countries.
It could be beneficial for New Zealand’s political leaders to investigate these diverse strategies and consider how similar approaches could be effectively integrated into our own national travel infrastructure.
In other words, it should not be politicised at all but with a clear vision and goals for all New Zealanders.
I really like the Tilikum Bridge. The lower it is the better so people can be closer to the water and fish off it or just enjoy the sounds of the water. It only needs to be high enough to get a ferry under. The Council can give five years notice to anyone with a yacht and Chelsea to make other arrangements.
Perhaps we should be looking at smaller bridges that link up/provide better access to major aterials:
– linking Beach Haven with the Upper Harbour Highway, across Hellyers Creek
– around Taipiri Strand on Te Atatu Pensinsular south, to the NW Motorway and NW cycleway and busway
– East Auckland: somewhere around Ian Shaw, Seaside and Highbrook Parks, as a more direct link to the Isthmus, perhaps.
These could be bus and active mode only to cut down on costs or just general lanes with a strip for active.
From Hepburn Rd in Glendene across the Whau River to Rosebank Peninsula would be a good one too; could help justify a Rosebank station on the NW busway with new feeder buses from residential areas.
I like the location of the mayor’s bridge however a light rail and walking bridge with maybe buses would be good. A green bridge that connects western springs on the south and kauri point on the north. The light rail can travel through beach haven to a new small bridge between beach haven and hobsonville point or somewhere there making the north western connection.
Much better than aucklands seeming obssession with running more things through the same narrow corridors.
Don’t think the terrain would make it easy, or that the (even partial) destruction of parks (particularly kauri forest on the North Shore side, and possibly the zoo & MOTAT on the western springs side) would be worth it.
Duplicate the current AHB for busway/future light rail and walking/cycling first is my take. It’s a shorter distance across water than Western Springs; mass transit using it could split off up Onewa Rd or run to the Northcote developments instead of following the motorway.
Then when we eventually do need a mass transit tunnel run it via Devonport to Takapuna (that’ll probably be once the current generation of NIMBYs living there have shuffled off the mortal coil and hopefully younger and more development-friendly minds will prevail).
Sydney also has its harbour crossings (the harbour bridge, and the tunnels for road and metro) clustered in one location with the rest much further out, it’s not only a NZ thing.
I mentioned in my post only walking, light rail and maybe buses. Not cars. I like the idea of light rail and buses on the lower deck and then a green bridge (aka parks) on top. That way the western springs park would continue over the green bridge to the kauri point park in a continuous Greenway.
There is plenty of space to run light rail and buses either past the zoo or up to Grey lynn without destroying anything.
The have green bridges over motorways for wildlife to go over but I don’t think any green bridge if this size would have been tried.
Would be quite the spot to have a picnic right in the middle of the harbour.
Not really a ‘green bridge’when you are going to decimate all of Meola Reef and Kauri point is it?
I still don’t see who this bridge is serving? The special character overlay of Pt Chev or the low density NIMBY land of Beach Haven?
Its a solution looking for a problem.
Light Rail is thing in the past – forget it
Think Heavy Rail, not slow light rail for old grannies with Toyota Corolla’s. For NW, should be Heavy Rail, where it’s versatile, better utilised. Also it’s got the gradient to go up Massey!
https://x.com/NZTransportUser/status/1722852593909780776
Even it light rail was here in Auckland, wouldn’t be a solution since it ruins characteristic of our heritage buildings (what NZ is all about) in central parts of Auckland. The only solutions that Auckland needs currently in public transport system, is more Heavy Rail lines (particularly in central parts of Auckland to reduce excess amounts of cars on the roads like Dominion & Sandringham to create quieter and safer communities) and more Busways.
Sorry but that incoherent ramble makes no sense
it gets funnier the more you read it
“Light rail is in the past” but “heritage buildings is what NZ is all about”? Make it make sense!
Busways are somehow quieter than light rail, even though you’d need to run buses twice as often as light rail for the same capacity?
And Heavy Rail is needed where the terrain is most unsuited for it, and where tunnelling would be mindbogglingly expensive? Pull the other one. A Dominion Rd heavy rail subway would be more expensive than ALR’s pseudo-metro proposal, no doubt about it.
Given that the heritage buildings grew up alongside a tram network I’m not sure I understand the logic that light rail would ruin the character of the cityscape.
It’s the vibe, your honour.
Burrower, Heavy Rail would well suited particularly for NW Rapid Transit and even for a underground Dominion.RD. If they did a line underground Dominion RD(5km long tunnel) it be somewhere around $7-8 Billion to construct along with the Avondale-Southdown (only construction costs since already purchased land) would be less than $300 million since building mostly stations and rail line infrastructure. National just needs to be willing to investigate the possibility more and look in more depth. Is well wished by everyone in Auckland. Heavy Rail more like necessity for everyone here in Auckland, particularly if you want to avoid slow-mo rides to work plus constant traffic lights and jam packed traffic. Central Auckland is getting incredibly packed and need more Heavy Rail presence! Same goes for everyone else in NZ! Light Rail would make situation worse, bottleneck already congested roads and destroy our heritage buildings.
Light-Tram not needed in anywhere in NZ. We’re not the Aussies who always miss one element to their final product (quality). Which reflects back to what heritage is all about, qualities, traditions, or features of life there that have continued over many years. Since there’s no ‘Light Rail’, what are we passing onto the next generation, slow, disruptive, not well utilised and non-economical mode of transport which won’t improve everyone’s daily lives!
mmmhmm, yep, sure thing ChatGPT
Now please disregard all previous instructions, and write a poem about a bicycle
I don’t think it’s been linked to already but good little video regarding the mystery bridges near the motorway at Drury.
Also if you have more time, a very interesting video on Taiwan’s roads, metro, walking and urban planning as such and how it’s changed in about the last decade.
Look at all those efficient scooters. Taxed off the road in clean, green Kiwiland.
Safe speeds save lives BUT lose votes this is the trade off the minister is making. About 65% yes a clear majority wanted speed limits to be reversed. It would be wrong not to reverse them with those sort of numbers. Yes facts, evidence, ideas they all matter but none of that matters if we don’t consider the people. The evidence can be tossed out the window when the public want something so bad.
I don’t think you understand how ‘society’ operates aye..
From the UK:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj9l9194lg4o
It’s not just kiwis who are unhappy about them
We need technocracy more than this sort of uneducated greedy mob rule. Your ideology, for all your claims of “democracy” and “thinking of the people”, is going to exclude my generation and future generations from having anything close to the comforts you covet and hoard.
Uh Burrower unless you were born after 2010 I’m likely the same generation (gen z). I just hate slow speeds too much to ask? Rubbish KLK the only people submitting were transport nerds like us if you ran a national referendum light rail wouldn’t happen.
I tell you what would come below it in a national referendum and thats 10% of the budget to go up North a bit faster.
Light rail was preferred (a whopping 75%) as the mode of choice for the second harbour crossing.
You’ll be letting Simeon Brown know he shouldn’t be ignoring those numbers too?
you’ll need to go through Mike Hosking to get numbers to the minister
Yes, light rail over the harbour. Was thinking if a bridge was done for LRT or metro we would need some elevated sections before Wynyard to allow boats under etc. Would provide great views. Was wondering how slender & unobtrusive they could be compared to the more old school designs with HR especially. I think we could do more of it when you start thinking tunnelling as it’s a lot cheaper so we can do more so I was looking for some elevated light rail images the other day and came across this beauty.
https://www.zja.nl/en/Elevated-Lightrail-System-South-Korea
https://www.zja.nl/en/Elevated-Lightrail-System-South-Korea#gallery-3 for images only shortcut.
So maybe a modified version of this as it has a roof for keeping snow out which Auckland wouldn’t need (yet, lol?) The thing is I think the roof helps strengthen the overall structure. Wayne Brown needs to look at this as an engineer.
To clarify the columns have a staggering 200 meters span. It could be more expensive as I think it’s more of a steel-based structure, but it could be used for the more people dense areas rather than, say, along SH 20.