Project approved
Thank you to everyone who gave feedback during the consultation in July. A committee of Councillors, Koata Hātepe/the Regulatory Processes Committee, approved the project at a meeting on 24 August 2023. You can watch a video of the meeting or read the minutes. A number of changes were made as a result of feedback.
He tāone e hāngai ana ki te anamata
A city fit for the future
Wellington is expected to grow by up to 80,000 people over the next 30 years, which will dramatically affect the way our city look, feels, and operates. If we continue at our current rate of car use, our transport network will grind to a halt.
Our goal is to be a city where people of all ages and abilities can safely and easily get around on foot, by bike, scooter or public transport and be less reliant on cars.
Te ara
The route
This project includes lots of improvements for pedestrians, some changes to improve bus journey times, a new shelter at one stop, and some other changes to make things safer for everyone.
It will see another section of the city’s agreed bike network improved and extended – providing a safer connection through to Brooklyn shops.
Improvements include a more permanent uphill bike lane on Brooklyn Road from lower Nairn Street replacing the trial lane, new bike lanes at the top on both sides of Ohiro Road to Cleveland Street, and a downhill shared route on Ohiro Road to Aro Street.
Changes made following the latest consultation
Changes made in response to the most recent round of feedback in July 2023 include:
- keeping the southbound bus stop next to the Berkeley Dallard housing complex
- keeping the citybound bus stop next to the Renouf Tennis Centre
- modifying proposed median islands and crossing points on Brooklyn Road north and south of Washington Avenue
- not going ahead with the proposed speed hump on the cityside of the Brooklyn Road and Ohiro Road intersection and retaining as much parking as possible in this vicinity
- modifying proposed changes to the Washington Avenue/Cleveland Street intersection to keep four parking spaces
- a commitment to investigate further improvements for pedestrians
- increasing parking in Helen Street with some angle parking on the uphill side.
Take a look at the changes
We worked with technical experts, met with local businesses, groups and organisations, and considered feedback that had already been provided on the trial changes to help develop more permanent street changes.
Consultation on these proposed changes was open 27 June to 23 July 2023.
You can view the details of the improvements that were proposed and consulted on below. Changes that have been made since then as a result of feedback received are outlined above and included in more detail in the Committee agenda and minutes for 24 August 2023.
View the plans we consulted on
How we got here
In mid-2021, with funding from Waka Kotahi’s Innovating Streets programme, we installed a temporary uphill bike/scooter lane, from Nairn Street to Ohiro Road, to trial a safer way for people to get from the central city to Brooklyn.
The intention was always to plan more permanent street changes once people had had an opportunity to experience the trial layout and provide feedback.
The project was generally well received, with intensive community engagement happening before, during and after the bike lane was installed.
This included a co-design workshop and meetings with residents. A technical working group reviewed the design.
Once the changes were in, people provided feedback over a six-week period via a public survey about their experience of the new street layout.
A small number of improvements were made at that time in response to feedback.
Overall, many people said they liked using the new street layout and thought it made travelling between the central city and Brooklyn safer for everyone.
The main response from people using the bike lane was that it should start further down and continue to the Brooklyn shops to improve safety and encourage more people to cycle on this route.
You can read more about the bike lane trial.
Following the evaluation of the trial bike lane, Councillors agreed at the 25 August 2021 meeting of Pūroro Āmua, the Planning and Environment Committee, to consult with the community on more permanent changes, extend the bike route and make the area safer for pedestrians.
Since then, the Council has also consulted on Paneke Pōneke, the bike network plan for the city.
The network was approved in March 2022. Brooklyn Road, Ohiro Road and Cleveland Street are all in the bike network plan.
This consultation is the opportunity to comment on the street changes proposed to make the trial lane permanent and the associated traffic resolutions required. The street changes include an improved bike lane up Brooklyn hill, a safer bike connection to the shops, and making other changes which will make things easier and safer for people who walk, take the bus and drive in this area.