Sign In / Register
Four Auckland Transport (AT) projects designed to improve pedestrian safety in Warkworth, Snells Beach, Matakana and Puhoi were approved at Rodney Local Board’s (RLB) last monthly meeting for this electoral term on September 17.
Funding will come from the Local Board Transport Capital Fund and could cost more than $900,000, based on AT budget estimates outlined at previous workshops.
The projects are:
• a new signalised crossing outside Mahurangi College, near Campbell Drive, in Woodcocks Road, Warkworth, to upgrade the current basic zebra crossing with orange beacon signs (approx. $250,000 to $300,000)
• pedestrian refuge crossings at 139 Mahurangi East Road and the top of Governor Grey Road, Snells Beach, to make it easier and safer for students and bus passengers to cross (approx. $260,000)
• a pedestrian refuge crossing in Matakana Valley Road, near Awanui Crescent across to the Diamond Jubilee Park entrance and carpark, plus speed calming measures further west at the town entrance (approx. $230,000)
• new wooden wheel stops from 60 to 82 Matakana Valley Road, and in Puhoi Road from the library to the footbridge, to stop cars parking over the footpaths and forcing pedestrians into the road (approx. $120,000)
AT staff said all the projects had been workshopped and put out for feedback and were now set for detailed design and construction, with the exception of the wheel stop projects, which were ready to go out for public engagement.
The meeting heard that two of the initiatives – the Snells Beach and Matakana Valley Road pedestrian refuges – had received mixed feedback from locals.
The new Snells crossings, which will involve moving two bus stops, were supported by some, but nearby residents were worried about privacy issues, parking losses and changes to the grass verge arising from bus stop relocation.
In addition, local residents and police felt another crossing was necessary closer to Snells Beach School, outside 341 Mahurangi East Road, to improve student safety.
“Overall, feedback mixes concerns and support, with strong emphasis on pedestrian safety and minimal resident disruption,” they said.
Retiring RLB member Michelle Carmichael questioned whether consultation letters should have been delivered to more than 150 homes, such as those in streets off Governor Grey Road, and also said she would have liked to see more detail on the numbers of people in favour of the project or not.
AT elected member relationship partner Beth Houlbrooke said the consultation was not about numbers, however.
“When we do these engagements, they’re not votes,” she said. “What we take from the engagement is not based on the numbers, but the content. We want to hear from people what the sentiment is generally and if they’re going to bring us new information that we previously didn’t realise. It’s not a numbers thing.”
For the Matakana Valley Road refuge crossing, there was again some support, but others opposed it, saying it was unnecessary and the money could be better spent elsewhere, such as fixing or extending existing footpaths along the same road.
AT said this was something that could be addressed separately through maintenance and renewal programmes, adding that the issue had been referred to the appropriate departments for prioritisation.
Members voted to approve construction of all the projects, though the two-wheel stop projects would only proceed “subject to general positive sentiment” from the upcoming public engagement.
