Aro Valley Connection

The route - the most important connections

Karori is about 5km from the city via Aro Valley, Kelburn and Northland only 4km, and Aro itself is just a 6-10 minute bike ride into the city. 

The unique nature of Aro Valley means we’ll be taking a different approach to how we will provide better transport choices. Unlike other parts of the city, Aro Street currently faces heightened parking constraints based on three key factors:  

• A higher density of people living in the area  
• An over-allocation of resident parking permits for the on-street parking available in the area  
• Lower off-street parking availability  

Given the current constraints, we’re looking to take a three-stage approach to improvements along Aro Street between 2023 and 2025. This will allow time for the community to prepare by providing more transport options in the short term, including improved access to car share, and reducing the need for high levels of car ownership at each stage.  

We would use adaptable materials so we can quickly install changes if the design is approved. This means people can start using the route sooner, then make suggestions to help refine the designs once they’re installed. Making changes in this way will help to get the bike network in place as quickly as possible so more people can benefit.  

The changes we’re looking at right now will be interim improvements – so they won’t be perfect or include much landscaping but will make it safer, easier and quicker for more people to go by bike, e-scooter, or bus. The designs have been developed with technical experts and have incorporated feedback from key stakeholders and businesses along the route.  

Overall, the changes along these streets will make things safer and easier for people using this busy route and provide more options for how people can get to and from work, school, or tertiary study, drop kids at day care, visit local shops or sports and recreation.

How to be involved

We’ve worked with technical experts and met with key stakeholders and businesses along the route to help inform the proposed changes for this route.  

Consultation on these proposed changes was open from Monday 31 October until 5pm Monday 21 November.

We're taking the feedback from everyone who submitted and the proposed changes to Councillors for approval. If approved by Council, work to install this route with adaptable materials would likely to begin in the first half of 2023.  

We would also work hard to gather feedback and data on how it’s going, so we can improve things such as signs, street markings, and parking.

View the details

Stay in touch and get involved

We're keen to involve the community as we go, so we will be sending updates when there are opportunities to get involved or have your say.

To stay in touch with project progress, sign up to the mailing list. 

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Got questions about the project? Email arovalleyconnections@wcc.govt.nz