Memo
To:
Road and Transport Team
CC:
Rona Lemalu, Project Delivery Manager
From:
Anita Manda, Transport Project Manager
Date:
25 March 2024
Fairway Drive Raised Pedestrian Crossing –
Consultation Summary and Rationale
Project Background:
A resident from Avalon had been requesting a pedestrian crossing on Fairway Drive near
CNS Science for the past eight years due to high foot traffic in the area. Despite traffic counts
confirming the need, there had been no action taken. The resident continued to advocate for
this safety measure, citing the community's ongoing risk without a proper crossing. Her
efforts aimed to enhance pedestrian safety and mobility in a high-traffic neighborhood.
Consultation Summary
Prior to the Traffic Sub-Committee meeting, extensive public consultation was undertaken in
August 2022 with the residents living around the location, GNS Science, Fire and
Emergency, Wellington Free Ambulance, Waste Management to secure as much feedback
as possible. The list of stakeholders to be consulted was approved by C&E team.
Improved pedestrian safety: Many responses emphasize that the crossing would
significantly enhance safety for people walking, especially in an area where traffic is heavy
and drivers often don't prioritize pedestrians.
Increased traffic awareness: Several people believe a raised crossing would make drivers
more aware of the speed limit and the need to yield to pedestrians.
Sensible and necessary solution: Responders find the proposal to be a practical and
much-needed solution to address the existing safety concerns.
Good location: Multiple responses consider the placement of the crossing near GNS
Science to be ideal due to the bus stop and access to Avalon Park.
Benefits students: Some responses highlight how the crossing would specifically improve
safety for students going to and from school.
Benefits cyclists: The crossing is seen as an asset for cyclists, providing a safer point to
traverse Fairway Drive.
Response
Theme
From my perspective, this would be a welcomed addition to the area.
Positive
Is this letter something you want us to share with our parent community at all?
All seem to be sensible solutions to mitigating risk to pedestrians.
Positive +
Feedback
I would also like to highlight the recent fatal crash on Eastern Hutt Road, where a
pedestrian was struck and killed while crossing the road from the Pomare Train Station
carpark to the Train Station Underpass.
There are a number of factors that increase risk to pedestrians crossing here, including;
It is a 70kmh area
There is a pedestrian refuge midway, but there is no specific lighting or sufficient signage
to notify drivers of crossing pedestrians.
I would like to be able to discuss this with your team to determine whether we can
improve this area and also the safety of pedestrians.
I would like to support the proposal, traffic on Fairway Drive seems to have significantly
Positive
increased in recent times making getting across the road an often extremely time
consuming exercise requiring a strong commitment to not taking risks to get across.
I am emailing to sign my support for a raised pedestrian crossing in Fairway Drive next to
Positive
Avalon Park.
A raised pedestrian crossing would remove uncertainty from drivers who slow down when
pedestrians are in the existing traffic islands, even though they are not required to.
I see on a regular basis a number of pedestrians crossing Fairway Drive to access the
bus stops or as access to/from Avalon Park. This is definitely a good location for a
pedestrian crossing.
A raised pedestrian crossing may also improve the traffic along Fairway Drive which has
a tendency to be higher volume and higher speed due to motorway traffic using the
bridge.
And importantly as a. cyclist, a raised pedestrian crossing provides a safe place for
cyclists to cross traffic from the bike lanes.
At the top area near the bridge traffic rarely slows down for cyclists to move safely across
the road.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on this safety improvement.
Happy with the plan. It will definitely make it safer for pedestrians. Thank for this initiative!
Positive
Good morning, thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed raised
Positive +
pedestrian crossing opposite GNS Science on 1 Fairway Drive. These observations are
Feedback
my personal ones and do not reflect those of GNS Science. We have advised all our
Avalon staff of this proposal and how to provide feedback also as individual pedestrians,
cyclists and drivers using Fairway drive.
I support the proposed placement of the pedestrian crossing and the general design. As a
pedestrian I think this would improve safety during the period of the day when traffic is
2
moving at the posted limit. During rush hour drivers are mostly permissive and stop to
allow people to cross. However:
• The refuge in the middle is possibly not wide enough for cyclists whose wheels
may extend outside the safe margins.
• I have concerns about the impact a raised crossing may have on emergency
vehicle transit given this is a main route for FENZ from Avalon station to the
highway and also for ambulances and police many times a day.
• Heavy vehicle traffic is also likely to make a raised crossing in this location a very
high maintenance item. Large trucks regularly traverse this route. I cannot think
of any main arterial road with similar traffic profiles in the Hutt Valley where a
raised crossing is in use.
• We have over the last few years seen a number of vehicles ride up over the
existing buildouts damaging signage. Hutt City would need to be very responsive
to damage to the crossing.
• Its unclear if consideration has been given towards lighting to increase visibility
of this crossing during hours of darkness. This is a time of increased risk to
pedestrians and lighting would be a key factor in ensuring a safe crossing. I
understand this would add significant cost and complexity.
I am writing to fully support the installation of a pedestrian crossing on Fairway Drive, as
Positive
proposed. Many people (not just from GNS) have to cross that road to get to or from the
park every day and no one ever slows down to let people cross. It really feels dangerous
trying to cross there.
Fairway Drive is also treated like a motorway by drivers and a crossing might help them
remember that the speed limit is 50km maximum and that they need to be aware of
pedestrians.
I work at GNS Science, but in this response I’m speaking as an individual, not on behalf
Seeking
of GNS Science.
Information
The drawing in the notification of the proposed crossing we see fails to show how it’s
sited in relation to the exit/entrance to the GNS Science campus; this is some pretty
crucial information.
Can you please provide a ‘zoomed out’ drawing which includes this information?
I LOVE THIS IDEA. I work in GNS and cross that road regularly to go for lunch time
Positive
exercise and it is a weird mishmash of people that sometimes stop and others that do
not.
Thanks for the opportunity to provide feedback on this proposed raised crossing on
Positive
Fairway Drive.
I just want to say that such a crossing would be very welcomed, and what is proposed
seems sensible. Thanks!
I believe this would be a very useful crossing, as I often see pedestrians and cyclists
Positive
struggling to find gaps in the traffic to cross here. I'm all for it.
I would like to respond by saying this would be a great idea for students going to school
Positive
as well as students that live around this area will have a safe way of getting to Avalon
from school with this crossing.
I do hope this goes ahead.
3
from the information provided by the council to Belmont school I cannot tell where "across
Positive
from GNS" the proposed crossing is. A zoomed-out map would be useful for people like
me who have terrible navigational skills and also have opinions.
In this case, the description is sufficient - I am very supportive of a raised pedestrian
crossing (as will my mechanic be) and hope you will include the lights; I think they are
great.
As an area runner I'm keen on the crossing, but unsure what the sidewalk options are on
the GNS side of the road. I'm not keen on a "sidewalk to nowhere" but as long as we're
not *creating* one that's a moot point.
I look forward to my kids being able to use this crossing, which, depending where they go
for years 7 and up, could be very beneficial to them and their safety.
I am very pleased to hear about the proposal of a pedestrian crossing on Fairway Dr. We
Feedback
have dogs and walk across that road multiple times each week while accessing the
riverbank. The placement outside GNS makes sense as there is the bus stop there and
sidewalk on both sides of the road.
I am concerned about the proposal to make it a
raised crossing. As you know, this is one
of 4 river crossings in Lower Hutt so that makes it a very busy road. This includes
emergency services. A raised crossing will slow the flow of traffic on this necessary
arterial road.
From a community perspective, the times people are using the crossing is not constant
(more centred around the beginning of the day and school and work exit times). However
a raised crossing will constrict the flow of traffic and, more importantly to me, the speed
emergency services can respond as traffic will be impeded 24/7.
From a personal selfish reason, the sound of brakes as drivers slow to cross it will
increase what is already a very noisy road.
Instead I proposed a flat crossing with good entry / exit ramps to ensure people with
mobility issues can use it easily when required, but when no one is using it, emergency
services are not impeded.
There are already a lot of (good) traffic management solutions (e.g. roundabouts,
crossings with traffic lights) in the vicinity which alters traffic flow - let's not add another
which is unnecessarily up-specced, if there are other options which would also solve the
issue.
4
Positive
Received via SMS Message.
Whilst not against the proposed raised pedestrian crossing on Fairway Drive, as a parent
Positive +
of a child attending Belmont School I would prefer to see the money spent remediating
Feedback
the crossing of the access road to Harcourt Werry Drive at the eastern end of the
Kennedy Good Bridge.
We live within the Ministry of Education defined school zone and a journey on foot to
school requires the crossing of both Fairway Drive and the Harcourt Werry Access Road.
We have found crossing Fairway Drive to be acceptable as the existing traffic islands
allows this road to be crossed in two parts (i.e. cross traffic coming from a single direction
with the possibility of waiting in the middle of the road). As parking at Belmont School
can be difficult, many school families drop / collect students at Avalon Park either at the
car park off Fairway drive, or by the golf course entrance (accessed from Taita Drive).
Crossing Harcourt Werry Access Road is difficult for pedestrians as cars funnel off the
Kennedy Good Bridge at speed to turn left onto Harcourt Werry Access Road and also
turn right from Fairway Drive. Visibility of car indicators (if used) is difficult as is visibility
of pedestrians for drivers. For this reason, we don't allow our 10 year old child to cross
the Harcourt Werry Access Road without an adult. I think many more car free journeys to
school would be made if crossing the Harcourt Werry Access Road was made safer.
Big support and big thanks, but suggests raised crossings are not too high for ease of
Positive
crossing for buses and trucks. She is going to come along to the Traffic SC to say thank
you in person. (Phone Call)
Rationale behind a Raised Crossing:
Enhanced Safety for Vulnerable Users:
Raised pedestrian crossings provide a level surface for crossing, reducing obstacles like
camber or bumps that can pose challenges to vulnerable individuals, including those in
wheelchairs or with mobility issues.
A raised crossing near Avalon Park would facilitate safer access to the park and associated
recreational facilities for all users.
5
Traffic Calming and Speed Reduction:
The proximity of Fairway Drive to recreational areas poses a significant risk due to the
tendency of drivers to exceed the 50km/h speed limit. This behavior endangers pedestrians
and other road users.
Implementing a raised pedestrian crossing can serve as a physical reminder for drivers to
slow down, promoting a safer environment around recreational areas.
Addressing High Traffic Volume and Speed:
Fairway Drive experiences high traffic volumes and speeds, primarily due to its use as an
alternative to motorway routes. This situation creates hazardous conditions for pedestrians
attempting to cross.
A raised crossing would act as a traffic-calming measure, reducing the likelihood of accidents
and encouraging drivers to adhere to speed limits.
Community Support and Pedestrian Demand:
The proposal has garnered overwhelming support from community consultation responses,
indicating strong public demand for improved pedestrian safety measures.
The high foot traffic in the area justifies the need for a safe and accessible crossing,
reflecting the community's preference for a pedestrian-friendly environment.
Lack of Safe Crossing Areas:
Currently, there is no designated safe crossing area in the vicinity of Avalon Park and
adjacent recreational facilities. This gap in infrastructure compromises the safety and
accessibility of the area for all users.
Introducing a raised pedestrian crossing would address this critical need, ensuring safer
access for everyone, including families, children, and individuals with disabilities.
6
