Potential Future Extension
Extension of the line to Auckland International Airport has been proposed. The main barrier has been crossing Manukau Harbour between Onehunga and Mangere Bridge. Transit New Zealand, NZTA's predecessor, announced that a bridge across the harbour would be designed to accommodate a rail link. In September 2007 ARTA announced that it was willing to pay Transit $2.5 million to "future-proof" the duplication of the Manukau harbour crossing in order "to accommodate a passenger rail connection." The bridge was built to accommodate this, and NZTA has provided for a rail corridor near the motorway as far as Walmsley Road.
There is a proposal to build an Avondale–Southdown line, connecting the North Auckland Line (the MAXX Western line) near Avondale to Auckland Freight Centre at Southdown. KiwiRail owns most of the corridor, which leaves the North Auckland Line east of Avondale and follows Oakley Creek and the SH20 Waterview Connection motorway corridor (construction of which has made provision for the rail line's construction).
Another proposal is to connect the Onehunga Branch at Galway Street to the Avondale—Southdown line by building a tunnel under Onehunga Mall to meet Hugh Watt Drive (SH 20), connecting to the proposed route at Hillsborough.
Read more about this topic: Onehunga Branch
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