Middlemore Hospital has been much in the news lately. The health centre at the heart of the isthmus, it sits at the heart of a health-challenged community, many of whom suffer what Dr David Galler calls “the South Auckland full house, ‘a six-card hand of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and gout’.” Middlemore is also home to a naturally health-conscious workforce, several of whom make a point of biking to work – while many more would, if it felt safer to do so. Anaesthetist Rob Burrell is one who counts himself lucky to bike to Middlemore, despite the lack of decent infrastructure. He shares his commute with us in a guest post, below. …
Bike Auckland
After the sudden closure of the Old Mangere Bridge due to advanced deterioration, now the only way to walk and bike across the harbour – until a new walking-biking bridge is completed around 2021 – is via the underpass on SH20 under the New Mangere Bridge. Yes, you read that right: while we’re eagerly awaiting Skypath across the Auckland Harbour Bridge, our other harbour has had two crossings for many years. But while the old bridge was popular and widely used, the underpass always felt like its poor cousin – dingy, whiffy, covered in graffiti and not very welcoming. That’s why we’re delighted to report that the NZ Transport Agency has …
Updated 17 April 2018: Auckland Transport has contacted us today to say they’ve revised this intersection design in direct response to our concerns. In what has been a tragic, awful week on Papatoetoe’s streets, we’re happy to claim this as a partial victory. The new intersection design, while still constrained by space and budget, is at first glance much safer than the original one. And there’s the promise of more improvements to come as investment becomes available in the next budget round. (A very very good reason to lift your voices in support of the Regional Land Transport Plan when it comes up for consultation next month!) In short: our work …
The one-sentence version: we campaigned for – and won! – an extra access point for the new Southern Cycleway, and your feedback is now welcome until Friday 9 February. While we’ve been discussing high-profile bike projects through highly visible parts of town, other bikeways are being quietly gotten on with as part of large roading projects, and are moving on without much noise or fuss. One example is a shared path along State Highway 1 between Takanini and Papakura, the first stage of what will eventually be the South’s equivalent to the Northwestern Cycleway. This bikeway is being built by NZTA as part of their Southern Corridor Improvements project. It is …
We’re a pretty tight team in Bike Auckland; a close collaboration of talents and interests. I’m very lucky to be at the centre of the team, orchestrating our work. Since the arrival of our inspirational contract staff, Communications Manager, Jolisa Gracewood, and Events/Partnerships Manager, Olivia Lynch, I feel I am either sitting in the audience, applauding Jolisa’s and Olivia’s creativity and achievements, or on a significant event like our recent AGM taking centre- stage to conduct the proceedings. My years of work as a RMA planning consultant have taught me to value mediation and negotiation. They’re useful in our Bike Auckland work as sometimes we’re faced with opportunities to work …
The quick version: Otahuhu Town Centre is getting a makeover – but there’s not much in it for people on bikes, and it could be a lot better for pedestrians. Feedback closes very soon (Wednesday 6 September) – so we encourage you to go to the feedback link ASAP and answer Question 2 by asking for these 3 changes: a protected cycleway on Station Road, between the town centre and the train/bus interchange, using one of Bike AKL’s options more traffic calming through the village shops – by adding zebra crossings and raised tables to the intersections along Great South Road a 30kmh speed limit for the town centre Read on for more details, …
There’s a brand new train station in Otahuhu, and now Auckland Transport is inviting public feedback on a proposal for T3 lanes and a shared path to the station along Walmsley Rd. Here’s the project information page with a link for feedback, which is open until Friday 17 February. You can see the full plans here. As well as adding T3 lanes, the proposal is to widen the footpath along the western side of the road, with the stated goal of: Improving pedestrian and cycle facilities and connection to the new Otahuhu Station. Encouraging more people to walk and cycle (particularly school children). We’re generally supportive of the project, but it must be noted: While the footpath will …
[Update: this consultation has closed. But you can have your say on the Local Board Priorities before Wednesday 28 March 2018, and ask what greenway projects the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board will prioritise for delivery!] Now that the Local Path Design Guide is out in the wild, it’s going to be exciting to see what the Local Boards of with it. First out of the gate is the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board Draft Greenways Plan, with some seriously ambitious long-term visioneering. Having grown up biking in this part of town, I love the way the Local Board is embracing the huge potential. These burbs are nice and flat, with heaps of parks and green spaces and alleyways that can be hooked …
If you’re cruising around Mangere, you might see six bright-red postie bikes getting a new lease on life. They are part of a free community bikeshare scheme in Mangere, started up by the tirelessly creative Teau Aiturau. Two bikes are permanently stationed at the Te Moana-a-Kiwi Pool and Gym. They’re free to borrow for anyone who fancies a spin around the Future Streets project, which is adding protected bike lanes to the town centre. The plan is to have a couple of bikes at several handy spots around the community, as far afield as Mangere Bridge, so people can come and go as they please. It’s all part of Teau’s big vision of making Mangere the Bike Capital of …
Giulia Rodighiero bikes to town along what we at Bike Auckland think of as the ‘missing highway’ – from the south into the CBD. In this photo story, she shares the good, bad, and the ugly of her commute… I recently moved from Mt Albert to Manurewa, which changed my work commute to K’Rd from a relatively quick and safe 7km via the Northwestern cycleway, to a 24km trek through areas with almost no cycle infrastructure. Luckily, it’s easy to take my bike with me on the train to Newmarket, from where I ride to work. (I bring my bike because it’s much quicker, fun and cheaper to bike from Newmarket to work than …
I enjoyed a fabulous day out at Kirkbride Rd/SH20A on Friday, representing Bike Auckland and witnessing a big step closer to making Mangere the biking capital of the Pacific. First off: the opening event for a new stretch of cycleway. The initial section is not that long, but makes up for it by being super smooth riding and a really good width. Note also the classy planting and bespoke fencing… Best of all, the cycleway connects to the Williams Park path beside George Bolt Drive and Bader Drive, and is handy to Mangere Central Primary School. Looking forward to the next stage of the full SH20A project, which will create a full off-road biking connection taking us even closer to the …
Do you live in the Papakura Local Board area, or ride through it? If so, you’ll want to add your voice to this current consultation on future greenways. The Local Board is seeking your thoughts on connections through parks, along waterways, in fact, anywhere you think a link would make your biking life easier. Greenways are a ‘joined up’ network of cycling, walking and ecological routes through parks and quiet low traffic streets intended to provide safe and enjoyable ways for people to get around, get active, and get engaged with the community and their environment. They are supported by environmental improvements, such as planting and water quality upgrades. Here’s some …
Cycling to a bus station should be safe and easy. And even if you don’t cycle to it, cycling past it should be safe and easy. Particularly when it’s a brand new bus station upgrade, such as the one planned for the Mangere Town Centre on Bader Drive, in the heart of Mangere, between the shopping centre (shops, plus library and a major arts centre) and a very popular park. And doesn’t this apply twice as much if the bus station is right smack-dab in the middle of one of Auckland Transport’s flagship walking and cycling projects – Te Ara Mua, in Mangere Central? Surely that’s the place where you would …
Our local hero Teau is at it again, with a family-friendly day of bike fun in Mangere on the Monday of Queen’s Birthday Weekend. There’ll be a sausage sizzle, giveaways (including the coveted Mangere BikeFIT T-shirt for those who register in advance), bike repair and advice, test-rides for new riders, and a whole range of bike activities for kids. Roll along Orly Ave to the Mangere Town Centre carpark on June 6 between 10am and 2pm, and share the spirit of a community that’s getting into bikes in a big way. In fact, we’d venture to say Teau has single-handedly gotten more people onto (and into) bikes than anyone else in Auckland …
We’ve just been alerted by AT to the fact that they are planning to mend another gap in the cycle network – in this case, a section of Kirkbride Road and McKenzie Road northwest of State Highway 20A, in the Mangere / Mangere Bridge area. The route is already used by quite a few riders – from sports cyclists on a longer loop, to people working in the airport area. And if you’ve ever visited the famous Strawberry Farm, you’ll know exactly where we’re talking about. The northern part of McKenzie Road already has cycle lanes, and the area around the Kirkbride Interchange (currently being motorway-sized by NZTA) will get cycle …
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