About the project

We’re improving crossing safety on Mahoenui Valley Road outside Coatesville School.

For years, teachers have had to place cones on the road and guide children across at busy times so we’re responding to requests from the school for a proper crossing to keep tamariki safe. With more families moving into the area and traffic getting busier, it’s important to provide a safe place to cross and slow vehicles down near the school.

We’ve been working with Coatesville School to design these changes to make the crossing outside safer for students. This will slow down traffic and give drivers more time to see children crossing, especially at busy times.

The new crossing facilities will give priority to people crossing, especially tamariki, school whānau, and the wider community.

Growing communities means busier roads – so we need to improve crossing facilities and make travelling locally safer for everyone!

The changes we’re making by June 2026

• Installing a new zebra crossing outside the main entrance of Coatesville School to slow drivers on approach and give priority to people crossing the road.
• New tactile pavers (yellow guidance markers) at the crossing points to help visually impaired people cross safely.
• Widening the footpath on either side of the crossing to provide more space for people to wait safely before crossing
• Installing new pram crossings to make it safer and more convenient for people pushing prams or strollers, and to assist those with mobility needs.
• Move the existing school bus stop from the front entrance to the back entrance (near #31 Mahoenui Valley Road) to make room for the crossing.
• New school bus stop outside #9 Mahoenui Valley Road so school buses can park safely
• Both new bus stops will only be used at pick-up and drop-off times on school days. At other times, these spaces will be available for parking.
• High Friction surfacing near the crossing to help vehicles stop safely and prevent them from slipping and skidding.
• New signs and road markings to let drivers know about the new crossing.
• To clear access, improve visibility near the crossing and to make space for the new crossing and bus stops, we will need to reallocate road space and remove some on street parking.

Benefits to your community

• Easier for everyone – Makes it safer and easier for children, their parents and caregivers, and people with different accessibility needs to cross safely.
• Improves your health and well-being to enjoy the outdoors. It offers better access to nearby parks, schools, public transport and other local amenities.
• Supports community connections – Shows a commitment to the safety of the entire school community and nearby residents.
• Encourages more travel choices – Gives families more confidence to let their children walk, scoot or bike to school, fostering their independence. Getting around on foot doesn’t cost you or the environment a thing!
• Keep our tamariki safe – Protects students walking to and from school by slowing down traffic and making drivers more aware that they need to slow down near schools.

You can download the map of where the changes will be taking place on the right-side panel of this webpage.

What happens next

We will install these changes by June 2026. Any change to the plan will be updated on this page.

We will be in touch with the local residents and businesses prior to any construction taking place.

How to contact us

If you’d like to discuss our plans, share what you know about your area or let us know if there’s anything we’ve missed, email us at ATEngagement@at.govt.nz or leave us a comment below by 9 November 2025.