Better cycling connections on Wellington St, Freemans Bay

Consultation Outcome

After reviewing the feedback we received, we are proceeding with no significant changes to our proposal to install cycling upgrades on Wellington St, Freemans Bay.

What happens next

We anticipate these changes will be installed between May and June 2025.

Community Feedback

Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge.

We received 32 responses in favour of the changes, 1 response indicating mixed impacts, and 3 responses against the changes.

We were told that the proposed changes will:

• make it safer and easier for school children and cyclists to travel
• encourage slower speeds on Wellington St
• connect the cycling network
• encourage active mode usage

Here is a summary of the concerns about the proposal and our responses

There will not be enough road space to support these changes.
The proposed design meets engineering specifications outlined in Auckland Transport’s Transport Design Manual (Section 2) to ensure that all road users are able to continue using the road safely.

Businesses will be affected by the road works.
 We recognise that road works can disrupt communities. However, road resurfacing is essential for maintaining the transport network. Combining the cycling upgrade with resurfacing will slightly extend the project but will save costs and reduce disruption overall by not having to undertake works in the area more than once.

There will not be enough parking availability for the community. 
 The proposal maintains parking on both sides of Wellington Street, with a reduction of about four spaces on the south side between Pratt and Collingwood Streets. Additional kerbside parking is available nearby on the Wellington Street access lane, Pratt Street, Grattan Place, and Collingwood Street. Parking time restrictions ensure turnover. Site visits indicate sufficient kerbside parking to accommodate current demand.   

These changes do not safely support school buses travelling on Wellington St for pick-up/drop-off.
 The bus shelter near Collingwood Street relates to a bus stop decommissioned in 2022. The kerbside space is now used for any vehicle parking. We are removing the shelter as part of the works which will clear the path, prevent bus user confusion and ensure a consistent concrete surface. The shelter will be reused at another location.

The intersection of Wellington St and Howe St is more dangerous.
 We recognize the cycling issues at this intersection. Retrofitting safe facilities here is complex and costly. This project focuses on quick improvements alongside road resurfacing, so upgrading the intersection is not included.

How will vehicles merge/turn into traffic during peak hours without the flush median?
 Flush medians can ease right turns but are not always available and may need repurposing. Grattan Place and Pratt Street have low traffic volumes, so flush medians or right turn pockets are unnecessary for safe and efficient access.

Here is a summary of the suggestions we received for the proposal, along with our responses

Lower the speed limit for cars.
 The current speed limit is 30 km/h. The proposed narrowing of traffic lanes, due to the addition of a protected cycle lane and the removal of a section of flush median, is expected to reduce vehicle operating speeds.

Implement a cycleway going down Wellington St.
 The proposed design includes a dedicated lane for cyclists going uphill, where speed differences are significant. For downhill, narrower lanes and ground markings help cyclists claim the lane. This design was chosen for its quick and simple implementation alongside renewal works.

Extend the cycleway further than proposed.
This proposal is part of a programme for walking and cycling improvements developed under the Local Active Modes Plan for Waitemata West. This design was selected because it can be implemented quickly alongside renewal works. Extending the proposed cycling facilities further eastwards would require a more complex investigation and design phase due to additional constraints and demands on the road space in the eastern part of Wellington Street.

Make clear signage/expectation for bike lane users to merge onto the shared path when approaching Collingwood St.
Ground markings and signage will make the cycling facility clear for users.

About the project

In May 2024, we held a community information-gathering exercise to identify walking and cycling opportunities in the western half of the Waitematā Local Board area.

Community feedback revealed a desire to improve the safety of cyclists riding uphill on Wellington Street. As they approach the hill up to Franklin Road, cyclists are unprotected from faster-moving vehicles and queuing vehicles.

Wellington Street is due for a road renewal in early 2025, which will allow us to deliver a minor cycling upgrade, save money, and reduce construction impact on the community. The upgrade will involve removing part of the flush median and repurposing some on-street parking spaces.

What we are proposing

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• 150 metres of uphill only protected cycleway between Franklin Road and Pratt Street.
• Kerb ramp installation.

Benefits and impacts

• Protects cyclists riding uphill.
• Helps address the gap in the cycleway network between Nelson Street and Franklin Road.
• Removes part of the flush median.
• Reduction in kerbside parking (on south side of Wellington Street between Pratt Street and Collingwood Street) by approx. 4 parking spaces.
• Formalises a section of the footpath as a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.

What are we missing? 

We value your local knowledge, and feedback will help us complete the final design.

Have your say by completing the online survey below. The survey will be open from 29 November 2024 to 13 December 2024.

Waitematā Local Active Modes Plan (LAMP) 2024

Wellington Street cycle improvements were suggested through the Waitemata LAMP information-gathering exercise. More information about this can be found at https://haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/wwlamp.