The Surrey Crescent cycleway has been “canned” and Cross Street reverts to a service lane usable by service vehicles.
“Auckland Transport plays a pivotal role in the region’s success. We are accountable to the people of Auckland and Auckland Council with central government a significant funder. What we do matters and is both visible and political.” Chair Richard Leggat announced in ‘Auckland Transport Statement of Intent 2024 to 2027: Building Public Confidence’. [SoI]
Central government funding has “a very different flavour to the year prior”. Whilst the public would probably make ‘value for money’ the top priority, AT has set this fifth in the SoI ‘performance expectations’.
AT is spending on some local money projects has been wasteful:
Great North Road cycleway.
Whether it was just an unexpected wave of common sense or my presentation to the AT Board explaining steep side roads intersection with the ridge at Great North Road where drivers were already slowed to do ‘hill starts’, don’t need raised crossings, the AT Board decided not to include ‘raised tables’ in the construction contract. Surprisingly, ineffective 75mm (3”) high raised crossing were constructed in expensive reinforced concrete rather than cheaper standard bitumen humps. This amounts to throwing away that ratepayer’s money.
Mercury Lane, Cross Street and East Street off Karangahape Road.
After consultation AT revised the design of the top of Mercury Lane to a shared space rather than pedestrianisation. However, the direction change of the section of Mercury Lane to uphill was never consulted. This required reconfiguration of other streets. Upper Queen Street ‘no right turn was removed’ and direction change of Cross Street. AT designed an additional footpath, speed humps and a narrowing of the exit into Mercury Lane, without taking into account that this is a service lane where space is required to unload trucks by forklifts to service the supermarket, food court and other businesses.
On 18 December 2024, owner of the Lim Chhour Building, Muy Chhour presented to the AT Board. AT has since agreed to remove all of those elements. Gael Baldock pointed out to the Board, the waste of money designing without consultation with the key stakeholders, the very businesses that keep K Rd alive.
As consultation is not required to change the direction of a road and AT have not considered the impact on users, it is not all resolved. The right turn from Cross St to Mercury Lane is dangerous for George Courts residents entering parking in their building. To get traffic down hill to Canada Street, AT has decided to remove the unconsulted East Street cycleway, to return the road to two-way for traffic. This is just putting expensive bandages on the situation instead of returning Mercury Lane to downhill, that would solve all of these problems.
Gael Baldock and Muy Chhour doorknocked a private petition against the top section of Mercury Lane changing direction to uphill. The petition with signatures of 125 business owners and managers was presented to the AT Board.
These decisions are all based on the unrealistic figures set for the CRL of 25,000 passengers per hour landing in Karangahape. I’m taking bets that there will be less than 25 getting off at the bottom of the hill every hour because there’s only a carpark building.
The sensible and most cost effective solution is to reinstate Mercury Lane as a downhill road.
Surrey Crescent and Old Mill Road, Grey Lynn.
The cycleway along the ‘Waitematā Safe Routes’ has been rejected by locals multiple times. The latest cycleway design, that was being pushed through by City Vision members of the Waitematā Local Board and cycle lobbyists, under the guise of road sealing has now been canned to align with the new priorities of SoI.
The only part necessary to upgrade is the area outside Grey Lynn Primary School where the 4 year trail of 119 hit sticks, road graffiti, concrete planter boxes and ‘cushions’ (humps) will be removed.
The replacement could be a set of lights as per the Great North Road cycleway design for St Joesph’s School and Grey Lynn Library. The other sensible choice would be a simple zebra crossing with students operating lollipops as per neighbouring Westmere Primary School in Garnet Road and a zebra crossing for tiny tots and parents crossing Surrey Crescent to the daycare centre just past Richmond Road. Locals await with bated breath to see the new design.
Auckland Transport Board Chair also acknowledged that AT has a long way to go in “rebuilding the trust and confidence of Aucklanders”. They need a complete mindset change to achieve this goal.
Gael Baldock, community advocate. GaelB@xtra.co.nz
