The decision is out, and the preparations are under way. Auckland Transport won consent for the new layout at Ngapipi Road / Tamaki Drive, and have announced they will start construction work as early as April. That’s fast, especially considering how long it’s taken to get to this stage! As you’ll know from previous articles (2013, 2015, 2016), the current intersection is one of the worst for cyclists in Auckland. It also ranks as one of the Top 10 unsafe intersections in the country, and it isn’t winning any medals either when it comes to drivers or, especially, pedestrians. So it’s long overdue for a fix. The initial new layout proposed late last year …
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Feedback closes Sunday 18 June – be a good bunch, and spread the word to support Bike AKL’s Quality Option fora north-side cycleway on Tamaki Drive! This is NZ’s busiest bike route, and in the top ten favourite rides. Why compromise? Last week, we wrote about how Auckland Transport’s current proposal for cycle facilities on Tamaki Drive isn’t just disappointing, it’s downright dangerous. We rushed into print when AT went to the public with their design despite our grave misgivings, to offer an urgent alternative. Our Interim Option solved the key safety issue by widening the traffic lanes nearest the curb to make space for on-road cyclists. It worked… but it was barely adequate. You know what? …
![Why Bike AKL can't support the design for the Tamaki Drive Cycle Route [Updated]](https://www.bikeauckland.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Tamaki-Lanes-2-e1495427109899-300x137.jpg "Why Bike AKL can't support the design for the Tamaki Drive Cycle Route [Updated]")
AT has just opened consultation for new cycleway works on Tamaki Drive, from The Strand to Ngapipi Road – to create a link for people on bikes from the (in-progress) Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive cycleway, to the Quay St cycleway. As such, it’s a crucial connection. However, for reasons we explain below – and to our own disappointment – we cannot support the proposed design, because it puts a significant proportion of Tamaki Drive bike travellers at serious risk, while not really raising standards for the new riders. Especially when there is an alternative that is safer. TL; DR: The proposed design isn’t great – and will be actively dangerous for a large group of existing …
Tamaki Drive’s famous cycleway turns 41 today. Despite showing its age a bit, it’s our jewel in the crown, and part of Auckland’s busiest bike route. To celebrate its birthday, we’d like to share some wonderful never-before-seen photos of opening day that recently came our way. The photos arrived in an email to Skypath champion Bevan Woodward from David Lewis, who signed himself “Birkenhead Resident and Passionate Skypath Believer”. As you’ll discover below, David has a very special connection to those early Auckland bike visionaries, who not only believed in miracles but managed to accomplish one. David’s words were so resonant we’ve included his message in full, along with the magical photos of the early believers. Do you recognize anyone? We’d love to …
The new design for Ngapipi / Tamaki Drive is now much better than the original signals design. Here’s hoping it did well in the consent hearing this week! With the safety issues for people on bikes at Ngapipi Drive known for so long, it was good to finally see AT’s proposed new layout proceeding to consultation & hearing. But it is fair to say that there is still a lot of controversy about changing this intersection. First off, there are some who (still) argue that nothing needs to be done at all; or at most, that the intersection only needs minor changes. The broken bones of many victims disagree, and we say …
Time is running out to comment on plans for one of Auckland’s cycling hot-spots, the Tamaki Drive/Ngapipi Rd intersection. Feedback closes Friday September 23rd. We encourage you to add your own support – or constructive criticism! – to the AT design. What’s at stake here? Re-read our earlier blog post to help you make an application on the Resource Consent for the intersection redesign. Consider our own 6 improvement suggestions, and what you feel needs changing, and submit! In addition, there’s one other related issue you might like to comment on, as it’s creating a lot of discussion in the community. This is regarding AT’s future decision about how to connect the …
Auckland Transport is currently consulting on the proposed traffic signals at Ngapipi Road / Tamaki Drive. This is one of the worst historical black spots for people on bikes in Auckland. It’s also a major intersection on our busiest cycle route, with some ~1,000 riders a day even in the middle of winter. First, let’s recap the many objectives – and constraints – the design has to contend with. It needs to: Improve safety and convenience for people on bikes. Especially – but not only – those turning here, and those heading directly to town who currently have to merge westbound with fast traffic from Ngapipi. Improve safety and convenience for pedestrians. Currently, there are barely any pedestrian crossing …
A few months ago, we made a video showing how bad things were for people on bikes at the Ngapipi Road slip lane onto Tamaki Drive. We also described interim safety measures Auckland Transport was planning – road markings, rumble strips, specially triggered electronic signs and flashing light studs on the road. As part of this project, AT undertook before-and-after speed measurements to see whether the interim fixes worked. And did they? Yes – to a degree. Speed was measured at two locations. Site 1 was on the approach to the intersection, some 40-50m away. Site 2 was in the area where citybound cyclists have to merge with (or ride across) traffic coming out of Ngapipi Rd – …
Do you bike along Tamaki Drive? Do you have thoughts about it could be improved? We know there are plenty of people on bikes who are really passionate about this uniquely beautiful and busy Auckland route. So we’re starting a focus group, Bike Tamaki Drive, to gather views from the full glorious diversity of people who ride this road. We’re a community bunch, not affiliated to any council or transport agency, and we’ll also be working with our friends at Bike Auckland and the Bike Eastern Suburbs group. To start things off, please join us for breakfast – whether you use the road or prefer the shared-path, bike to work, or for pleasure. We’ll meet at Oaken …
It’s just over a month since we published our video and blog post highlighting the alarming situation on Tamaki Drive at Ngapipi Rd. As seen in the video, citybound bike folk on Tamaki Drive have to make fearsome hair-raising manoeuvres to get past the Ngapipi Rd intersection, across motorists exiting from Ngapipi Rd via the slip lane. That video – and your vociferous feedback about it – was absolutely crucial in persuading Auckland Transport that an interim fix is urgently needed, in addition to the planned full signalising of this intersection. The large-scale signalizing works need resource consent, which will be publicly notified soon. AT recognises that the work will focus attention on the current pinchpoint …
Another person on a bike has been injured at Auckland’s worst cycling blackspot, Tamaki Drive / Ngapipi Road. Details are sketchy so far, but it seems that despite the crash involving a truck – many a cyclist’s greatest crash nightmare – the cyclist came away with “only” minor injuries. We sincerely hope that the reporting is correct. What frustrates us horribly is that this intersection has been in the spotlight for many years. As far back as 2011, it has featured in media reports, official safety audits raising concerns – and numerous cycle crashes, many of them more severe than today’s crash. In fact, NZTA ranks it as Number 10 on the …
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