Love Te Arai is extremely concerned both for locals and visitors to our Regional Park, beautiful beaches and the international golf courses, Tara Iti and Te Arai
Links. Pothole dodging is not a game it’s a major safety issue. The roads are only maintained when they reach breaking point. This makes them dangerous. There have been accidents, which are often not reported, and a number of near misses.

Love Te Arai members regularly contact Auckland Council and Auckland Transport to let them know (some may say complain) when Te Arai roads require maintenance. There does not appear to be a maintenance schedule or if there is, the scheduling is not often enough. The number of complaints appears to be the way to force road maintenance.
The major issue is potholes, which increase to dangerous size before maintenance occurs. In winter (see photos) with often little metal left on the road drivers are navigating slush as well as potholes. In summer dust is an accepted issue. Prior to the 2020 Environment Court closing down of the non-compliant local quarry there were a large number of truck and trailer units on Lake Road, Te Arai Point Road and Ocean View Road. Trucks in large numbers are a major hazard with greater road damage, noise and the lack of road visibility from the dust they create. Dust also has an environmental impact on the waterway feeding grounds for the Te Arai endangered Tara Iti (Fairy Tern) and the Australasian Bittern.

Interestingly, Te Arai roads were kept in better condition when Te Arai was under the jurisdiction of Rodney Council. With the amalgamation of Rodney Council into Auckland Council in 2010, Te Arai seems to have become a low priority outpost.
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In Our Auckland, August 2021 it reports “Auckland Transport is looking at a new way of dealing with Auckland’s 800 kilometres of unsealed roads. The new approach will see AT working with local boards to prioritise work on roads. Mayor Phil Goff says the new approach will increase the number of unsealed roads that can be improved or upgraded. “Around 80 per cent of Auckland’s gravel roads are in the Rodney area, with the rest in Franklin, Great Barrier
Island, Waiheke Island, and Waitakere,” he says. 
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Te Arai Point Road is not on Auckland Transport’s top priority sealing list - even with the Regional Park, beaches and international golf courses. In January 2016 Te Arai Point Road was number 10 on the list for sealing. If up to two roads were sealed per year Te Arai Point Road may have been sealed by 2021. This changed in 2020 when the Auckland Transport unsealed roads improvement programme did not list Te Arai Point Road in Category A High Priority but in Category B.
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Love Te Arai understand that Te Arai roads are unlikely to be sealed even in the distant future but quality, unsealed roads are needed now. When Te Arai roads are properly maintained they are safe to drive. Please contact Auckland Transport and Council when you experience driving Te Arai roads and can see and feel they need care and attention!!

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