https://www.cyclewellington.org.nz/cobham_drive_and_sh1_speeds

• We support plans for the new crossing
• We support lower speeds. There should be a consistent 50 kmh speed limit on SH1 in the urban sections of Wellington. 
• This is consistent with Road to Zero. 

Crossing urgently needed

We’ve been waiting far too long for a safe crossing. The sports centre opened in 2011 – but there’s been no convenient way to cross Cobham Drive.  That’s unacceptable. 

The sports centre, St Patrick’s College, and EBIS are adjacent to Cobham Drive, but students cannot easily cross the road to Miramar. There is currently no safe crossing point anywhere on Cobham Drive from the Miramar Cutting to the traffic lights at Evans Bay Parade. 

Installing this crossing will reduce the travel time considerably for people using active modes of transport.

At present, the detour under the airport runway can provide a shorter journey to locations such as the sports centre than travelling to the crossing at Evans Bay Parade. This means it is more difficult for people in Miramar to walk or bike to destinations like the sports centre, the beach at Lyall Bay, or the shops in Kilbirnie. It also means it is harder for people in Rongotai or Kilbirnie to get on to the Tahitai paths.

The case for change

It’s good to see a strong statement in the consultation material about the case for change:

“Speed is a factor in every crash. No matter what the cause of the crash is, the faster the vehicle is travelling, the more likely it is that somebody will be hurt or die. People make mistakes, and we will never eliminate crashes, but speed can be the factor that determines whether you are killed, seriously injured or walk away unharmed.”

50, not 60 or 70 kmh

SH1 speed limits should be 50 kmh in an urban setting, where traffic mixes with people on foot and bikes. This is consistent with other parts of SH1 in Wellington.

To make these speeds credible, we suggest the SH1 lanes are narrowed to induce lower traffic speeds. If a street looks like a highway, people go faster.

We ask you to add speed feedback signs, speed cameras, red light cameras, and effective enforcement on SH1 from the Mt Victoria Tunnel through to the Airport.

On a busy street, traffic flows more smoothly at 50 kmh than at faster speeds, so consistent travel times are likely for people who are using the roads in vehicles. 

Level of service 

It will be critical for people using the crossings to have a short wait time at the beg buttons. 

The proposal sketch shows a light post right in the middle, which should definitely not be in the way.

References

Road to Zero, https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/what-waka-kotahi-is-doing/nz-road-safety-strategy/
Down With Speed, ACC, https://can.org.nz/system/files/ACC672-Down-with-speed.pdf 

Narrow lanes slow down traffic https://www.wri.org/insights/bigger-isnt-always-better-narrow-traffic-lanes-make-cities-safer