Ākau Tangi Evans Bay improvements

We're upgrading this scenic walking and biking route around Ākau Tangi Evans Bay, from Carlton Gore Road on Oriental Bay to Cobham Drive, with a two-way bike path and separate footpath along Evans Bay Parade.

The sections between Carlton Gore Road and Little Karaka Bay, and Weka Bay to Greta Point, are now in use and include improvements to Ōmarukaikuru Point Jerningham, with more space for people to enjoy. 

Once complete, this part of Wellington's coast will be even more of a drawcard for visitors and recreation. 

The new paths on the seaward side form part of Tahitai (one tide, one journey) around Evans Bay from Miramar to the central city, the wider eastern connection to Kilbirnie and Te Aranui o Pōneke, the Great Harbour Way. 

As a popular walking and biking commuter route from the east, these improvements will make things safer and more enjoyable for people of all ages and abilities. It will be possible to ride between Miramar cutting and the city without having to ride on the road.

 

Councillors approved the project in March 2018 following community engagement in 2017. The project is being progressed in two stages:

  • Stage 1, between Carlton Gore Road on Oriental Bay and around Evans Bay Parade as far as Greta Point, is under construction. See what to expect during construction.
  • Following consultation on proposals for stage 2, between Greta Point and Cobham Drive, Councillors approved the plans in November 2021. 

Expand All

We're building a two-way bike path and new footpath on the seaward side from Oriental Bay around Akau Tangi / Evans Bay to Cobham Drive. 

Stage 1, between the bottom of Carlton Gore Road and Greta Point, is under construction. The work is happening in sections and as it progresses, the two-way bike path is gradually replacing the existing narrow on-road bike lanes.

The improvements between Oriental Bay and Little Karaka Bay are now complete. These include the new sections of seawall and public spaces at Ōmarukaikuru / Point Jerningham. In this area the footpath is at a lower level than the bike path and road, with seats, lookouts and platforms for easier access to the rocks. 

New seawalls will also be required at Little Karaka Bay and Balaena Bay to make space for the bike path.

Consultation on Stage 2 proposals, between Greta Point and Cobham Drive, is now closed. Councillors approved the proposals in November 2021. 

The walking and biking paths are part of the coastal route around Evans Bay Parade from Oriental Bay to the Miramar end of Cobham Drive, named as Tahitai (one tide, one journey) by Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika. The paths are also part of the connection to Kilbirnie shops from the Cobham Drive intersection.

This route will form part of Te Aranui o Pōneke/the Great Harbour Way – our region’s goal to have a walking and cycling path all the way around Wellington Harbour to Sinclair Head on the south coast.

With the new coastal paths on Cobham Drive, the Evans Bay Parade route will help to connect the eastern suburbs with the central city.

Following open days and community feedback about routes in the east, we worked closely with three eastern suburbs community working groups during the first half of 2017. 

The working groups spent many hours poring over plans, asking questions, looking at things from a range of different perspectives, debating the pros and cons, grappling with challenges and trade-offs, thinking about all the possibilities, and whittling down the alternatives. They talked about parking, resident and business needs, trees, heritage features, lane widths, safer speeds, driveways, existing safety issues, pedestrian crossings, intersections and bus stops.

Then, in September 2017, Wellingtonians had the opportunity to comment on short-listed options for Evans Bay. You can read a summary feedback report (PDF 170KB) and all public submissions (PDF 18.1MB), or see the summary graphs (124KB).

More than 400 people attended open days at ASB Sports Centre, and 582 people made online or written submissions about streets in the east.

Since then the Council has analysed 918 separate pieces of feedback to help determine the proposed designs for the various streets, including the coastal route around Evans Bay between Oriental Bay and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) at Greta Point. It also decided which projects to progress first.

Our decisions have been influenced by what people told us, the funding available, more detailed information about likely costs for the different projects, and a desire to start with busy sections that will make the biggest contribution to the planned network.

Keep up to date with how Akau Tangi / Evans Bay is progressing, and understand the process so far. New events will be added as the project progresses.

View the project timeline.

Tahitai pathway map

Tap to navigate map
Tap to navigate map
Tap to navigate map
Exit

Key

Under construction

Planning