At the junction of Rongotai Road, Onepu Road and Evans Bay Parade improved alignment of traffic lanes and resurfacing will make travel through this busy intersection and bus route safer and easier – it will also be a lot better for pedestrians and people on bikes.
One of the key changes is people will be able to safely cross all four sides of the intersection rather than just two.
This will make it easier for people who travel by bus, and the growing number of people who live in the area to get to and from destinations like the supermarkets – and from one side of the bus hub to the other.
Improvements at the intersection will also provide safer connections for people on bikes, complementing other work under way in Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay and Rongotai.
Transport and Infrastructure Manager Brad Singh says the changes are part of building a city fit for the future and improving the city’s transport network so it works well for everyone.
“This is big job at a busy hub, which will require careful traffic management over about eight months. Our contractor John Fillmore Contracting (JFC) will be working hard to minimise disruption, but we ask people using this area to be patient and take extra care.”
Lane closures and bus detours will be needed at times requiring some temporary changes to bus stops. Metlink will help flag these with passengers, providing information at affected stops and via the Metlink website and app.
The temporary changes are required so the construction crews can safely use diggers and other equipment to trench across sections of road and lay new ducting pipes. Service providers, including Wellington Electricity, Chorus, Vital and One NZ, will then use the new ducting pipes to install cables under the road.
To minimise disruption and keep traffic flowing as efficiently as possible at busy times, crews will work section by section. When required, only one lane in or out of the intersection will generally be closed at a time, and only during off-peak hours (9am-3pm).
Electronic signboards will be used to alert motorists to the work so they can opt to take alternate routes.
Early work will include the installation of a new pedestrian crossing on Rongotai Road between Ross and Mahora streets. When it's finished, the existing one closer to the intersection will be removed.
Other work to improve walking, bike and bus connections is well under way elsewhere in Kilbirnie and Rongotai, and about to start in Lyall Bay.
The new shared path alongside Ākau Tangi Sports Centre and improved connection to the Cobham Drive crossing is nearing completion. This work is being done in partnership with Let’s Get Wellington Moving.
New and improved pedestrian crossings are finished or nearing completion in the Coutts Street and Tirangi Road area. Work is under way here to install some new sections of bike lane and provide safer connections to the Leonie Gill Pathway and airport tunnel.
Work is also starting from this week on Onepu Road between Coutts Street and Lyall Parade. Pedestrian crossing improvements near Leonie Gill Pathway and the Lyall Bay shops at Wha Street will happen first followed by work close to Lyall Parade to encourage safer speeds. The installation of bike lanes on this stretch will happen next.
Changes were made to the plans following consultation, including having painted bike lanes south of Wha Street (rather than separated kerbside bike lanes) so more on-street parking could be retained.
For more information, go to transportprojects.org.nz/kilbirnie and sign up for email updates.