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Early design

Early design - Accessible Streets for Ōtūmoetai Peninsula

Following community consultation in 2022, Commissioners endorsed a preferred option for this project. This means that the routes, type of facility and infrastructure improvements were confirmed which enabled us to develop an early design. 


Chapel Street /Cameron Road between Harington Street and Maxwells Road

This section includes one-way cycleways and shared paths from Harington Street to Maxwells Road, which was the preferred option by the public. One traffic lane heading towards Ngatai Road is proposed to be removed (from north of the Mobil site to Vale Street) to accommodate the cycleway/shared path, which modelling shows has no significant impact on traffic flow.  Overall, we want to make it easier and safer for people walking, cycling, or driving with improved signalised intersections, crossing facilities and improved bus journey times at key locations.

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Chapel Street /Cameron Road between Harington Street and Maxwells Road (4mb pdf)

The proposed additional details and features include:

  • Keeping the trees outside the Tauranga District Court was important for many during the first round of consultation. (These trees would have been removed with two-way cycleways or shared paths).
  • One of the options being considered is to change the parking from angle parking to parallel parking between Harrington and Brown Street, which would reduce the number of available carparks overall in this area. However this would prevent people from reversing over the cycle lane. We will consult separately on this particular aspect as part of the wider parking plan for the city centre, which will include looking at options around provision of parking.
  • The Brown Street intersection is proposed to provide signalised priority for buses and allow safe access for cars. Buses are currently experiencing up to 10-minute delays which will be improved with these changes.  
    Note: Between Brown and Chapel Street, an option of including a bus lane while accommodating left turning traffic onto Takitimu Drive is being further investigated. 
  • Bus stops are in-lane to allow buses to enter traffic easily. There is sufficient space for vehicles to pass in the adjacent lane, if deemed safe to do so.  
  • Upgraded bus stops and shelters.  
  • Maxwells Road intersection is proposed to become signalised. This will help with bus priority and address safety issues of people and students trying to cross the very busy Chapel Street.  This will also improve driver access to and from Pillans Point School. There have been four pedestrian related crashes here with further near misses reported also. This is an area where the community provided feedback to improve safety and access. 
  • A city-bound bus queue jump is proposed for the Chapel Street/Maxwell Road intersection. Dedicated bus lanes and priority at key intersections will allow buses to move past queued traffic and ensure bus services are frequent, reliable and get people where they need to go. 
  • For safety reasons, access to Maxwells Road is proposed to be left in and left out only. A centre island will be placed to reinforce the no right turn from Chapel Street into Maxwells Road if heading to the beach and the no right turn out from Maxwells Road (beach side) onto Chapel Street.
  • People wishing to access the Bureta shops from the Maxwells Road area can do so safely at the Ngatai Road and Chapel Street intersection.   
  • We received feedback about the missing footpath link from the Chapel Street/Maxwells Road intersection to the estuary path, which we have included in the scope of the project.

Maxwells Road, Andrew Place and a section of Pillans Point Road

As an identified Neighbourhood Street area, we want to make it safer for students and residents who live here. For this reason, in Maxwells Road, Andrew Place and a section of Pillans Point Road we are proposing safety improvements to encourage slower vehicle speeds, including raised speed tables.  Additional planting will be provided in key locations to enhance amenity within the area.

Feedback received did not support a permanent 30km/h speed limit but supported a 30km/h school zone during school times. The proposal is to provide a 30km/h speed limit in the school area during school times only to make it safer for students.

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Maxwells Road, Andrews Place and a section of Pillans Point Road (3mb pdf)

Ngatai Road between Maxwells Road to Ōtūmoetai roundabout 

Based on previous public feedback, a two-way cycleway is the preferred option and has the least overall impact on pedestrians and businesses by retaining as much parking as possible. The two-way cycleway is on the harbour side of Ngatai Road. This allows the retention of parking on the opposite side of the road.

New traffic lights are proposed at key intersections, which will make it safer and easier for drivers and pedestrians to access Ngatai Road from side roads.

Overall, the modelling predicts that this project does not significantly increase the travel time experienced by drivers through the area. There are some key locations where modelling indicates there would be an increase in queue build up, such as creating a signalised intersection at the Ngatai Road/Ōtūmoetai Road roundabout. Because through traffic must stop to allow traffic entering from side roads and allow people cycling or walking to cross safely, this means that there could be up to a 90-second delay. Our model predicts that these queues are generally quick to build up and clear again.

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Ngatai Road between Maxwells Road to Ōtūmoetai roundabout (2.6mb pdf)

The proposed additional details and features include:

  • New traffic lights at the intersection of Ngatai and Bureta Roads to improve access and safety. Community feedback showed people were concerned about safety and access here. There have been 16 injury crashes involving 13 drivers, two cyclists and a pedestrian in this area. We want to make it safer.
  • New traffic lights are proposed at the Ōtūmoetai/Ngatai Road roundabout to improve access and safety across Ōtūmoetai Road. As traffic must stop to allow traffic entering from side roads and to allow people who are cycling or walking to cross safely, there could be a delay of up to 90-seconds.
  • A city-bound in-lane bus stop is proposed near Short Street and Ngatai Road to give buses priority at this location. Traffic will need to wait for the bus to depart. Many of the other bus stop locations will be indented or are positioned to allow drivers to pass if safe to do so. A new bus stop location and on demand signalised pedestrian crossing is also proposed to improve safety and accessibility for people wishing to cross the road.
  • For safety reasons, we are proposing to remove the slip lane at the intersection of Chapel Street and Ngatai Road. Access is maintained around 60 metres further along. We will be working with residents here to talk about the proposed design and how to get in and out of their properties along with how rubbish collections are intended to operate.  
  • One of the previously proposed options was to close the slip lane at the Chapel Street and Vale Street intersection. Following feedback and further review, the slip lane at Chapel Street and Vale Street will be maintained with safety improvements to encourage lower speeds and allow people to cross the slip lane easily and safely.
  • The footpath on the beach side of Ngatai Road near #121 is intended to be closed, with a crossing provided for people to access the opposite side. We received feedback that the path is too narrow to accommodate two people passing each other in either wheelchairs or mobility scooters. The change encourages pedestrians, wheelchair users and mobility scooters to use the path on the opposite side of the road where enough space is provided while accommodating the two-way cycle path on the other side of the road.    
  • Undergrounding of power lines may be needed near 121 Ngatai Road and will be confirmed through the detailed design stage of the project.
    Note: We have worked hard to retain parking between the Chapel Street intersection with Ngatai Road and the Bureta shops. There are nine carparks to be removed on the harbour side where the new cycleway and bus stops will be placed. On the opposite side of the road 16 carparks will remain. There will still be plenty of parking on surrounding streets for staff to park. These specific roads are needed to enable more people to travel through using more transport options.

Bureta Road shopping centre

Public feedback on the 30-year plan for Ōtūmoetai Peninsula (Take me to the future: Ōtūmoetai 2050), reinforced that shopping centres should be accessible for everyone, pedestrian friendly and safe to use. The following changes are proposed to make the area safer and easier to move around:

  • A 2.5m shared path is proposed to connect from the Bureta Road and Ngatai Road intersection to the Bureta Road and Vale Street intersection. This enables better access for people due to space constraints. Five carparks close to the intersection would be removed.
  • A pedestrian crossing on a raised safety platform would make the area more accessible and safer to access the shops. Landscaping is also proposed.  The raised pedestrian crossing would help to make people crossing easier to see and facilitate eye contact between pedestrians and drivers.
  • Three carparks would be removed to accommodate the crossing.
  • Bus stops and shelters would be upgraded.
  • There are currently 50 carparks around the Bureta Road shopping centre. Eight carparks would be removed to enable the shared path and the pedestrian crossing.

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Bureta Road shopping centre (2.6mb pdf)

Ōtūmoetai Road roundabout to Norton Road

To improve safety and accessibility we are proposing that the Ōtūmoetai roundabout become a signalised intersection to improve access from side roads for drivers and enable people cycling or walking to cross safely.

To enable the traffic signals to be installed, we propose to remove some trees at the Ngatai Road/Ōtūmoetai roundabout. There will be significant opportunities to replace these trees and provide improved landscaping in the area, which would be further developed through the detailed design.

We also received feedback that we need to improve accessibility and safety along Ōtūmoetai Road.

In response we are proposing some changes:

  • Along Ōtūmoetai Road, cycle lanes are proposed to Norton Road
  • The pedestrian crossing near 486 Ōtūmoetai Road is proposed to be on a raised safety platform to make the area more accessible and safer to access the shops and buses. The raised pedestrian crossing slows approaching vehicles down and helps make it easier to see people crossing or waiting to cross.  
  • Bus stops and shelters would be upgraded.  
  • A new pedestrian crossing on a raised safety platform near 475 Ōtūmoetai Road is proposed to make it safer and easier to cross the road to access bus stops and the shops. 
  • As a result of these changes, 13 carparks would be reduced to seven. No car parking changes are proposed on Cherrywood Drive.

Note: The community has also asked for improved safety and accessibility for people cycling or walking to connect to Beach Road from the Ōtūmoetai roundabout.   In the future, Council needs to strengthen part of the railway overbridge and make improvements between the roundabout and Beach Road. These works will be consulted on separately to this.

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Ōtūmoetai Road roundabout to Norton Road (2.6mb pdf)

Ngatai Road, Charles Street to Bellevue Road along Windsor Road

This section proposes a two-way cycleway on the school side of Windsor Road. To accommodate the two-way cycleway and retain parking on both sides of the road, the design introduces a one-way system on Charles Street and Windsor Road between Ngatai Road and Anne Road.  When options were presented previously, 71% of people supported a two-way cycleway on the school side of Windsor Road. Some residents raised concerns with widening the road that meant that the footpath width would be reduced, and parking would encroach closer to their properties.

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Ngatai Road, Charles Street to Bellevue Road along Windsor Road (5mb pdf)

The proposed additional details and features include:

  • The one-way system is proposed to extend to Anne Street, accommodating the large number of school buses that use this road. An increase in the width of the shared path outside Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School is also proposed to assist students walking to and from school
  • We want to maintain as much parking as possible given the sporting and other large events in the area. The proposed one-way system provides a balanced approach between pedestrian safety, access to facilities such as schools and businesses, and residents’ property access requirements.
  • Restricting Windsor Road traffic to one-way southbound from Ngatai Road to Anne Road has safety and operational benefits around the schools. However, this option does require one-way traffic to re-route onto Anne Road and Queen Street, which potentially means more traffic will be using these streets.
  • This option provides the highest number of on-street carparking spaces, which caters for demand from nearby schools and recreation centres.
  • A 30km/h speed limit for the area was one of the options presented. Based on community feedback, it is now proposed during school times only to cover the schools on Windsor Road.

Princess Road, Queen Road, Anne Road, and Margaret Road 

As an identified Neighbourhood Street, we want to make it safer for students and residents who live here. The first Neighbourhood Street will be on Maxwells Road, which includes Pillans Point School. The second Neighbourhood Street area is proposed on Queen, Princess and Anne Roads near Bellevue School, Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School and Ōtūmoetai College. 

We propose to use traffic calming measures such as speed tables or speed bumps and provide improved pedestrian and cycling crossing points that slow vehicle speeds. We want to provide a walkable, bus and cycle friendly, safer environment, which supports people of all ages and abilities, including people with reduced mobility levels.  

During our previous consultation, nearly 70 percent of respondents supported a higher level of Neighbourhood Street interventions including street furniture, art and planting.

The proposed additional details and features include:

  • Speed humps and tables and making the road narrower in places.
  • Pedestrian upgrades, including refuge islands or pedestrian crossings at key locations to make it safer and easier to cross the road.
  • Bus stop and bus shelter upgrades.
  • Making the street more people friendly through landscaping and planting, artwork and street furniture. 

Note: This area will be further designed with community input through the detailed design process if the project proceeds. 

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Princess Road, Queen Road, Anne Road, and Margaret Road (2.5mb pdf)

Bellevue Road - From Windsor Road to 15 Bellevue Road 

We are proposing a new two-way cycleway on the southern side of Bellevue Road, changing to a one-way cycleway south of the Brookfield signalised roundabout. This option allows car parking to be maintained on one side of the road towards the Brookfield signalised roundabout and was the preferred option for residents following previous consultation. Some indicated this option was better so cyclists do not use the footpath.  This option also has the least impact on businesses at Brookfield as well as minimising the potential negative impacts for traffic at the Brookfield roundabout. 

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Bellevue Road - From Windsor Road to 15 Bellevue Road (4mb pdf)

The proposed additional details and features include:

  • An on-demand signalised crossing on a raised safety platform is proposed at 178 Bellevue Road so people can cross Bellevue Road safely. 
  • Undergrounding of some power lines on the southbound side. 
  • A two-way cycleway on the west side of Bellevue Road between Windsor Road and Millers Road with a shared path through the Brookfield roundabout area to Lees Park.  
  • To make it easier and safer for people to cross, on-demand signalised crossings or pedestrian refuge islands on speed tables are proposed along Bellevue Road at various locations. Pedestrian crossings are proposed on most side roads where cycleways are planned to enable people both cycling or walking to cross safely.  
  • Most of the bus stops will be indented except for some locations where vehicles are able to pass a bus if deemed safe to do so. The existing in-lane bus stop outside 19 Bellevue Road is remaining. 
  • Bus stops and bus shelters will be upgraded to support and encourage bus travel.

Note: The intersection of Bellevue and Windsor Roads is high-risk and safety improvements have already been planned 

Waihi Road and Eleventh Avenue

This section of the proposed project is a combination of one-way cycleways and shared paths, improved pedestrian crossings, bus stop upgrades, and safer intersections. Shared paths are used where there is insufficient road space to provide separated cycling facilities. 

At Waihi and Bellevue Roads we propose to create a signalised intersection to enable safer access for drivers and people crossing the road to access the shops and bus stop. We are also proposing to remove one of the city-bound traffic lanes between the slip lane exit to Takitimu Drive and the on-ramp to Takitumu Drive to improve bus journey times. A bus priority/jump is proposed for bus use only in peak times with a part-time bus lane between Edgecumbe Road and Cameron Road. However, on-street parking could be used outside of this time. In this section of Eleventh Avenue, there are nine existing carparks with five proposed to remain.

You can view the proposed changes in the image below.

Waihi Road (4mb pdf) Waihi Road to Cameron Road (4mb pdf)

The proposed additional details and features include:

  • A signalised crossing close to the kindergarten and Bayview Retirement Village to make it easier for people to cross the road and access the cycleway and bus stop. 
  • An upgrade of the intersection of Birch Avenue/Waihi Road/Eleventh Avenue to enable people to cross the road and make it safer. The removal of the left turn slip lane into Birch Avenue is proposed to change to a dedicated right turn lane. 
  • An on-demand signalised crossing, linked to the Birch Avenue signals at the Takitimu Drive off-ramp to enable people to cross safely. 
  • Improvements at the Koromiko roundabout to enable people to cross safely. We have heard feedback from the Koromiko Street businesses and have made changes to accommodate local business needs. 
  • Restricting the right turn from Eleventh Avenue into St John Street. This means people wishing to access the area could either use Tenth Avenue or Eleventh Avenue to make a right turn into Edgecumbe Road.  
  • The right turn from Eleventh Avenue into the McDonald’s driveway is proposed to be removed due to safety issues. These vehicles would need to access McDonalds via Christopher Street. People can still turn left in and left out to access McDonalds from Eleventh Avenue.   
  • Access to the neighbouring shops at 152 Eleventh Avenue Plaza - the right turn from Eleventh Avenue into this driveway is proposed to be removed due to safety issues. People can access these shops by turning left from Eleventh Avenue and exit via Christopher Street. People from Waihi Road could access the shops carparking by turning right into Christopher Street, left into Twelfth Avenue, then left into Cameron Road and then left again from Eleventh Avenue.  
 

Key information

Project type
Transportation and movement
Community

Status
Planning

Neighbourhood
Matua-Otūmoetai

Glossary of terms

Below you can find descriptions and images of features of the early design.

In lane bus stops

We would like to create some ‘in lane’ bus stops to make it easier for buses to stop and help reduce bus delays as buses don’t need to re-enter a stream of traffic. This would mean changing the layout at a number of bus stops across the Ōtūmoetai Peninsula. 
This change means that cars would wait behind the bus, until the bus pulled away from the stop. Additional benefits of ‘in lane’ bus stops include increased space for people walking and cycling and more room for people to wait for the bus. It would also mean that bus stops are not so close to property boundaries.

Bus ‘jumps’ / priority lights

Changes to signals at intersections to let buses go before general traffic

Priority lights

Bus lanes

Traffic lanes for use by buses only
 

Bus lane

Transit (T2/T3) lanes

Traffic lanes for vehicles with more than one person, including buses

T3 lane

On these streets there will be a 30km/h speed limit, speed reduction measures, pedestrian upgrades, and may include other work to make the streets more people friendly through improvements such as planting, artwork and street furniture.

We will also be considering limited time speed limits outside schools.

Examples: speed humps, raised tables, road narrowing

Traffic Calming

Reduction in speed limits

To 30km/h

30kmh speed limit

Pedestrian access upgrades

To make it safer and easier to cross the road

Raised crossing

Urban intervention

Examples: planting, artwork, street furniture

Urban intervention

We want to build a 12km network of cycleways for all ages and abilities. There are a variety of options for providing cycleways.

One-way cycleway

Cycleway in the same direction as adjacent traffic usually on each side of the road

One-way cycleway

Two-way cycleway

Cycleway in both directions for cycling accommodated within one facility on one side of the road

Two-way cycleway

Shared path

A path that is intended to be used by pedestrians, cyclists, and people who use mobility devices

Shared path

Other ways to get involved

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