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Corridor improvements along Mansel Drive, Falls Road and Hill Street in Warkworth will proceed after the Rodney Local Board (RLB) approved construction at its February 18 meeting.
The cost of the speed calming measures is $200,000 and is being funded through the RLB Transport Capital Fund, which was approved at the board’s February 19 meeting last year.
Auckland Transport (AT) elected member relationship partner Beth Houlbrooke presented the Kokiri Report to the board alongside principal transportation engineer Jun Park and transportation engineer Kang Han.
The report sought approval for corridor safety improvements to Mansel Drive, Falls Road and Hill Street after AT considered an earlier proposal to install a traffic island and/or side islands at the Hudson Road and Falls Road intersection infeasible due to the following concerns:
• Hudson Road provides quicker access to the new motorway than travelling through Falls Road
• Vehicle surveys indicate that Hudson Road is a Level 3 freight route serving industrial areas with about 13.8 per cent heavy vehicle traffic
• New land development at 220 Falls Road is expected to install a new footpath and pram crossings at the intersection of Hudson and Falls Road
• The tracking into and out of Hudson Road is a serious safety concern for pedestrians and an operational concern for trucks
• The traffic island would also impact the pedestrian movement across the newly proposed footpath at Hudson and Falls Road as the pram crossings will have to be moved away from the desired crossing location
• The side‐island option was also considered, however, would not prevent anti-social driving behaviour and would negatively affect vehicle turning movements
Instead, AT recommended progressing corridor improvements along Mansel Drive, Falls Road and Hill Street to address safety concerns and driver behaviour raised by residents.
Crash data collected by AT identified 12 crashes along the corridor between 2019 and 2024, including one fatality, one serious injury and eight minor injuries.
Six of the crashes involved drivers failing to give way at intersections, while two involved drivers suspected of exceeding the speed limit.
AT has also considered the customer feedback received over safety improvements and multiple speeding cases.
The project includes installing driver feedback signs/active warning signage on both approaches to the raised crossing on Mansel Drive. This is to address speeding along the long, straight stretch of Mansel Drive by alerting drivers to the upcoming crossing, encouraging them to slow down and proceed with caution.
In addition, red-coloured surfacing and speed-limit markings will be installed near existing speed signs to reinforce the 50km/h speed limit along sections of the corridor. Advisory curve warning signs will be installed along Falls Road, between Mansel Drive and Hudson Road with speed guidance for drivers ahead of bends.
Curve warning signage and No Parking restrictions signs will be installed on Falls Road, between Hudson Road and Hill Street, in advance of S-curve sections to alert drivers to the changing alignment.
New stop and give-way controls will be introduced at intersections on Hill Street, between Albert Road and Great North Road, to clarify right-of-way and improve traffic safety. Red coloured surfacing is to be installed with speed limit markings adjacent to the existing speed limit sign to reinforce the reduction from 60 km/h on Brown Road/Great North Road to 50 km/h.
AT said the proposed improvements could now be considered reactive work rather than a project, so no public engagement was required or undertaken.
The project is expected to be completed by June 30.
