Let’s Get Wellington Moving is asking people to have their say on proposed safer speed limits on State Highway 1 and a new walking and cycling crossing on Cobham Drive.
The projects support Let’s Get Wellington Moving’s objectives of improving safety for everyone using our city’s roads, streets and paths, and reducing reliance on private vehicles.
Formal consultation on proposed new speed limits, of 50km/h on Ruahine Street and 60km/h on Cobham Drive and Calabar Road, starts on Wednesday 30 June.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Director of Regional Relationships Emma Speight says safer speed limits are a proven tool that will help save lives.
“We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely. Even when speed doesn’t cause a crash, it is always a factor in the severity and can be the difference between a person being killed, seriously injured, or walking away from a crash,” says Ms Speight.
The new crossing on Cobham Drive is proposed to be located West of Troy Street to enable easy access to the ASB Sports Centre and connect to the recently opened Cobham Drive Tahitai walking and bike paths.
Mayor of Wellington Andy Foster says a new crossing will help expand the Eastern suburbs’ walking and cycling network.
“Right now, there is no place to safely cross State Highway 1 anywhere between Miramar and the Evans Bay Parade traffic lights. We have tragically seen fatalities when people have crossed Cobham Drive, which is currently a massive barrier to walking, running, and biking between Miramar and Kilbirnie. This severance was certainly an issue when the ASB Centre was proposed.
“We are also already seeing increased numbers of people cycling, walking, and running as a result of the shared pathways we’ve built around Cobham Drive and Evans Bay. The crossing will make it easier to get to and from the pathways into Kilbirnie helping people get where they’re going by bike or foot,” says Mayor Foster.
The proposed crossing would be controlled by two sets of traffic lights (one for each direction of travel). This offers safer crossings and, when activated by pedestrians, would mean shorter red light wait times for people travelling in vehicles on SH1.
The proposals have been considered with safety and ease of access top of mind.
Investigations by Let’s Get Wellington Moving found that a crossing at road level controlled by traffic lights is the most cost-effective way to improve safety and can be built the soonest with the least disruption.
As it would be on a slightly raised platform with clear road markings, a road-level crossing would improve ease of access for people of all ages and abilities. It would not require long ramps or stairs going over or under the road.
Construction on a crossing is expected to begin later this year.
Daran Ponter, Chair of the programme’s Governance Reference Group and Greater Wellington Regional Council, said it was great to see swift action being taken for the safety of the local residents.
"What we are seeing from the programme now is a greater focus on delivery for Wellington's communities. Once locals have had their say on the solution we can get on with the construction," says Chair Ponter.
Consultation will run from 30 June until 28 July. Submissions can be made by visiting lgwm.nz/SH1Safety, emailing the Let’s Get Wellington Moving team at info@lgwm.nz, completing a paper form or by providing feedback at one of the open days.
Speed limit decisions are made by individual road controlling authorities under the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017. Let’s Get Wellington Moving is carrying out consultation on new speed limits as a part of the speed limit setting process of its partner organisations Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (for state highways) and Wellington City Council (for local roads), under the Rule.
The feedback on the proposal to put in a road level pedestrian crossing and lower speed limits shows a clear picture that it is not required nor wanted by the majority of people.
A bridge over the road would be a lot safer for pedestrians and cyclists, and meet the needs of motorists as well. To make a better road network that caters to the flow of traffic, extending the two lanes in both directions through Mt Vic and past the Basin Reserve to the Motorway would be ideal to untangle the north south and east west traffic.
The most stupid idea Ive heard, putting a crossing on state highway 1. Build a pedestrian bridge over the road for heavens sakes!
I thought the idea was to "get Wellington moving". This sounds more like "let's stop Wellington moving" Another "hare-brained" idea from the "cyclists before anyone else" brigade. Instead of stopping the traffic how about putting a bridge in that the cyclists can ride over to get to the "rarely used" cycleway. Oops I forgot cyclists don't like cycling over bridges - except of course in Auckland where cyclists like elsewhere in NZ consider that the road code doesn't apply to them. On a slightly different tack I drove from Martinborough to Wellington this afternoon (Sunday 4 July) - couldn't take public transport as there wasn't any In the whole journey I saw two - i repeat TWO cyclists. Where were the cyclists who want millions of dollars spent on cycleways for them, that they don't use, it was a beautiful day - sunny windless 11 - 13 C. Why the H... are the councils and government wasting money on cycleways?
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