Wellington City Council is working with the NZ Transport Agency on closing the slip lane as part of looking at how this intersection can be made safer for people walking and biking.
The closure is being trialled to see if there are any flow-on effects for traffic using Cobham Drive.
From Monday 29 October, the slip lane will be blocked off to vehicles with a mountable kerb and artificial grass. Drivers will still be able to turn left into Evans Bay Parade at the traffic signals.
There will be a clear path across the closed-off lane for people walking or biking to or from the signalised crossings over Cobham Drive and Evans Bay Parade.
If this change is made permanent, it would be done in early 2019 as part of constructing a new two-way bike path on the St Patrick’s College side of Evans Bay Parade, between Cobham Drive and Kilbirnie Crescent. It would also connect to new walking and biking paths on Cobham Drive and Evans Bay Parade north into the central city.