Plans to make it safer, easier and quicker to bus or bike around the city are among ways we are responding and working with the community to make those bigger changes possible.
The Council approved the routes for Paneke Pōneke, a 10-year citywide bike network plan, in March this year. It had previously agreed work between Newtown and the city, and Botanic Garden ki Paekākā and the city, should be prioritised as part of a transitional rapid roll-out.
Consultation on updated designs for the section to Newtown will start this Thursday 11 August. Pūroro Āmua, the Council’s Planning and Environment Committee, will meet the same day to consider the route to the Botanic Garden.
Installation of interim bus and bike improvements on the Newtown route temporarily stopped in May following a legal challenge.
Since then, the Council has reached an agreement with the group which had sought a judicial review. The agreement included a commitment to consult using the traditional traffic resolution process.
The improvements were developed by technical experts, and changes have already been made in response to suggestions from Metlink, businesses along the route and others. Consultation over the next few weeks is an opportunity to see what more can be done to improve the design.
Wellington City Council Chief Planning Officer Liam Hodgetts says its important people participate during the consultation period, so the Council fully understands people's ideas and views.
The Council has worked closely with the Wellington Regional Hospital to refine the designs.
Proposed changes include:
- separate 24/7 bus lanes along Adelaide Road (both directions)
- extended hours for bus lanes on Kent Terrace and Cambridge Terrace (7am–9am and 4pm–6pm on both streets, Monday to Friday)
- three more bus stop platforms like the ones already in place near the hospital
- a two-way bike lane between the Basin Reserve and the waterfront via Cambridge Terrace and a small section of Kent Terrace
- separated bike lanes on both sides of Adelaide Road and Riddiford Street, as far as Mein Street
- traffic signal, lane and parking changes near the Mein/Hall/Riddiford intersection responding to recent feedback from the community
- a new signalised pedestrian crossing between the central median islands (at Vivian Street/Cambridge Terrace)
- a new signalised diagonal bike crossing from Cambridge Terrace to Kent Terrace at the Courtenay Place intersection
- significantly less parking along the route, and parking time and other changes in side streets to help mitigate the reduction
- no right turn from Cambridge Terrace into Pirie Street
- removal of the u-turn areas along Kent/Cambridge Terrace.
Councillors are expected to consider feedback from this consultation in September. If approved, work on the route is likely to resume shortly after the Council decision and take several months.
Information about the proposed changes is available online at transportprojects.org.nz/newtown.
You’ll be able to provide feedback on the website from 11 August until 5pm 31 August. Alternatively, you can download a FreePost form, or email or call us on 04 499 4444 and we’ll post one out.