https://www.cyclewellington.org.nz/april_2023_newsletter

Calls to action

Botanics to City transitional feedback

Consultation closes: 5pm Monday 8 May

The Botanics to City transitional project was launched on 14 March - this year’s Go By Bike Day. It is important that people on bikes get out in person, have a go on the new route and submit your feedback on how it can be even better. The implementation so far is only transitional - meaning there is still a lot of room for improvement and a chance to shape things to be more comfortable and attractive to more people on bikes - including a wider range of ages and abilities.

As stated by WCC the feedback we give now will influence the shape of: "... more permanent improvements along these streets as part of their plans for the central city in the coming years. The feedback you give us now will also be shared with them to help inform possible changes in the future."

Tips for making an oral submission

Are you making a 5-minute oral submission to the Council? Hearings are scheduled on 20, 21 and 24 April, at Wellington City Council, 113 The Terrace L16. Check out our tips.

Wellington City Council Annual Plan

Closes Sunday 30 April

Take the opportunity to review the Wellington City Council plan for rates and upcoming projects and provide feedback.

Waka Kotahi National Cycling Action Plan

From Waka Kotahi:
The Waka Kotahi Cycling Action Plan sets out a pathway to significantly increase the safety and attractiveness of cycling in towns and cities across Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The vision is that in ten years, people of all ages and abilities will be able to get to where they need to go using connected networks of safe and attractive cycleways and quiet streets. 

To support this our focus over the next 10 years will be:

• Helping to deliver quick build cycle networks and building momentum for change in all our main urban centres 
• Supporting reallocation of existing street space to help complete urban cycling networks 
• Supporting investment in short trips to key destinations such as schools, town centres and public transport hubs in our investment priorities.  

This is an interim plan, and we welcome your feedback, which will help inform the development of an expanded National Cycling Plan. The National Cycling Plan is an action within the Emissions Reduction Plan and is due for release by the end of 2023.

Add your business to the Cycling Works campaign

Ask your employer to stand up for your right to a safe cycling route to work. Have a look through the statements in support from these excellent cycling leaders:

 

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Upcoming bikeness

Webinar: Sustainable Transport: Equity, Ecological Overshoot, and solutions

1pm Wednesday 19 April

Tune in online to hear Dr Bridget Doran - Principal Researcher at MRCagney, discuss the role of the transport sector in planning for a thriving future.

Orange Bike Ride Wellington

9:30am Sunday 30 April

Queens Wharf

A fun-filled event for all ages, starting and finishing at Queens Wharf by the TSB Arena with a 7 km loop around Point Jerningham, Roseneath and back. Check-in from 9:30am, ride starts at 10:00am.

Picnics in Parks

11am - 12:30pm weekly on Fridays

Changing locations

Every Friday (weather allowing) we meet up somewhere in central city Wellington in an on-street parking space. Join us for a chat and coffee, and sometimes: knitting, board games, and puppies, and help passers-by rethink the use of public space. We’re usually near a cafe, so come support a local business for your lunch as well.

Next Cycle Wellington Meeting

6pm Tuesday 2 May 2023

Upstairs above Bicycle Junction, 1 Marion Street, and online.

 

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Project updates

Wellington City Council

Bike Network transitional projects

Bus stop platforms

The project teams are changing towards using an asphalt approach for new bus stop platforms, rather than more of the modular product such as are on Riddiford Street. The modular products were not as adaptable as hoped.

Newtown to City

Construction is continuing along Cambridge Terrace. Enforcement of the existing bus lanes is planned to start soon. Monitoring of traffic flows by the team shows no evidence of extra congestion holding up emergency services, as misleadingly claimed in a recent letter to the editor by one Kerry Prendergast.

Berhampore to Newtown

Designs are progressing for this project. The Berhampore Village Upgrade project will work alongside this project for the affected area.

Thorndon Connections

There are some changes following the public consultation: The designers are removing the downhill lane from the bi-directional section on the southern end of Molesworth Street.

Kilbirnie Connections

1500+ submissions. 52% support or strong support. This consultation attracted some heated feedback and some instances of around 150 suspected duplicate submissions which are being reconciled.

There is a design change option being put forward for Onepu Road. The designers are suggesting to switch the position of the bike lanes south of Wha St shops intersection to be on-street-unprotected painted bike lanes (with a white painted median door zone buffer) instead of curbside protected. North of Wha Street they will remain curbside protected.

A reason given is: “traffic volumes drop to 6000 south of Wha St / Apu Cres,” and that the on-street design still provides an “improved level of service for people on bikes on what is currently there and allows increased space for parking particularly in the summer.”

The low Traffic Street trial is going to be trialled on Freyberg Street, but not on Yule and Ross Streets due to local opposition.

More transitional projects coming up:

Botanics to Karori and Berhampore to Newtown are both big projects coming up on the horizon. Public consultation may be running around the same time as the next government election. Work is also progressing on designs for Wadestown Connections.

Transformational projects

Tawa to Johnsonville

This project addresses the Middleton Road gap. There is a small section of transitional treatment happening soon to take advantage of some already scheduled resurfacing work south of the roundabout intersection with Westchester Drive.

Brooklyn to City

Consultation expected to start in 6-8 weeks. Starting construction this year (by Christmas).

Evans Bay

Construction to close the gap at Weka, Kio and Balena Bays will start this month ( and take ~18 months to complete). The Greta Pt. to Cobham Drive build will be happening next summer.

Bike parking

Installation of the sheffield stands in the new bike parking corrals have been very late coming.

The project to install some bike parking at Oriental Bay is expected to be completed at the end of April. Another bike parking unit is planned for the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre, as well as another on Shell Lane off of The Terrace.

Waka Kotahi

Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua construction underway

In March we saw the start of construction for the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua. Te Ara Tupua is a partnership with Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika, Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Waka Kotahi.

The project, which will create a new cycling and walking route between Wellington and Lower Hutt is a key step towards better transport resilience in the area. It also helps with community resilience by providing brand new spaces for community celebrations, and spaces for activities like fishing and walking that help build our mental resilience.

 

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Recent goings on

Go By Bike Day 2023

Thanks to Wellington City Council and especially Trish - for putting on this year’s Go By Bike Day! It was a special morning combined with the launch of the Botanics to City transitional route. Cycle Wellington really appreciates the opportunity for the variety of cycling communities to come together for a morning and celebrate all the positive things cycling does for the city.

Ara Tawa whānau bike ride

Thanks to Women in Urbanism’s Catarina Gutierrez and Miriam Moore around 35 people recently joined in a whānau-friendly ride in Tawa on a beautiful sunny day.

Folkl Vision pre-change analysis of an intersection on the Botanics to City route

Check out this cool dataviz report on analysis of traffic flows at the intersection of Bowen Street and The Terrace compiled before any changes were made as part of the new bike and bus transitional route.

Trails Wellington vision

Trails Wellington have unveiled their ambitious vision for connecting Pōneke more by building more mountain biking trails around our beautiful city. Check out their work.