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Beach Haven Road, Beach Haven - Pedestrian Improvements Beach Haven Road, Beach Haven - Pedestrian Improvements

Proposal status: Feedback Closed

Reference number: 20100512

Proposal outcome

In March 2023, we proposed changes to improve pedestrian safety on Beach Haven Road, Beach Haven. After reviewing all the feedback we received, we are proceeding with the work as proposed. These works will help support Tāmaki Makaurau’s Vision Zero goal.  

What happens next

We anticipate the changes will be constructed late this year. We will be in touch with residents and businesses prior to any construction taking place.

Community feedback

Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge. We heard in the feedback that many motorists don’t slow down at the crossing for children walking to and from the kindergarten and school. We also heard that there is poor visibility when exiting out of Paragon Avenue. These changes will help address these issues. A summary of suggestions from the community and our responses is below.

Raised zebra crossing

  • Query about why the changes are needed as there are minimal issues with the existing pedestrian island and there is also a crossing just down the road.

The raised crossing is located outside one of the entrances to the Kainga Ora development and between two bus stops. We’ve done pedestrian counts which show that many pedestrians cross the road at this location. The raised crossing will make it safer to cross the road by encouraging drivers to slow down to a safe speed of 30km/h which reduces the risk of death or serious injury if a crash occurs between a car and a pedestrian.

  • Concern that a raised zebra crossing will slow the flow of traffic, create extra wear and tear on suspension, and be an impediment to emergency vehicles.

The crossing promotes a speed reduction to 30km/h, but this will have little impact to the flow of traffic. The raised zebra crossing is designed to provide a smooth transition for motorists travelling over the crossing. When motorists travel over it at an appropriate speed there is minimal impact to the vehicle. This design also ensures that there is minimal impact to emergency vehicles.

  • Concern about the alignment with other roads (Mavis Place and Beach Haven Road) and Kainga Ora developments.

The crossing is located between two bus stops and driveways and was chosen to provide a safe crossing location for the kindergarten, bus patrons, and residents. Bollards will prevent people from accidently entering the zebra crossing before approaching drivers can see them.

Other crossing locations

  • Suggestion to install a raised zebra crossing in front of Beach Haven Kindergarten at 179 Beach Haven Road. This would slow traffic closer to Paragon Avenue and remove less parking.

The raised crossing is located outside one of the entrances to the Kainga Ora development and between two bus stops. Shifting the crossing further west may result in it being underutilised as the crossing would not be where most pedestrians want to cross the road.

  • Suggestion to install a crossing at 183 Beach Haven Road as there is plenty of space to turn right out of Marie Costello Way while people are crossing the road.

This option was considered as part of our initial investigation but was not proposed due to the proximity of the adjacent driveways. The proposed crossing, adjacent to Marie Costello Way, avoids conflicts with the residential driveways of 188 and 190 Beach Haven Road.

  • Suggestion to install a raised zebra crossing at the junction of Beach Haven Road with Tramway Road as there is more foot traffic. This would provide a safe crossing location for pedestrians, especially young children accessing Shepherds Park and Beach Haven Primary School.

A new crossing near the intersection of Beach Haven Road and Tramway Road is currently being investigated as part of a separate Local Board project.

Parking

  • Concern about the removal of parking since there are new developments on Beach Haven Road and it is hard to find parking in this area.

We understand that removing parking can be inconvenient, so we have minimised the removal of parking as much as possible. The removal of parking is crucial to providing adequate visibility for pedestrians crossing the road and motorists turning out of Paragon Avenue.

  • Suggestion to extend the broken yellow lines to 178 Beach Haven Road, as it would improve visibility between drivers approaching Paragon Avenue and those turning out of Paragon Avenue.

We will paint broken yellow lines to the driveway of 180 Beach Haven Road to make it easier for drivers exiting Paragon Avenue.

  • Suggestion to paint broken yellow lines opposite Paragon Avenue as motorists park in this area which makes it difficult for drivers turning right out of Paragon Avenue onto Beach Haven Road.

As part of this project, we aimed to minimise the loss of parking spaces throughout the design process. The improvements will increase visibility at the intersection as well as slowing motorists along the road which should help drivers navigate the intersection more safely.

Other

  • Suggestion to add chicanes to ensure drivers slow down.

The raised crossing will encourage drivers to slow down to a safe speed of 30km/h. We are not currently investigating adding chicanes, but we will look into your feedback for future consideration.

Contact us

Email: Projects@at.govt.nz

Phone: 09 930 5090

We're proposing improvements in your area

As part of our work to improve the safety of Auckland’s roads, we are proposing some pedestrian improvements on Beach Haven Road. We have investigated and identified a high pedestrian demand and safety issues at the existing crossing on Beach Haven Road.

We are proposing to:

  • Remove the existing pedestrian island at 183 Beach Haven Road.
  • Install a new raised zebra crossing outside 190 Beach Haven Road. This is a pedestrian crossing on a wide, flat speed bump with an extended off-ramp to make for a smoother, quieter, and gentler drive, especially for larger vehicles like buses and emergency service vehicles.
  • Install tactile pavers at the crossing points. Tactile pavers are yellow guidance paving markers that help visually impaired people find their way to the crossing and safely across roads.
  • Install a new pedestrian barrier outside 185 Beach Haven Road to prevent people, especially young children, accidentally walking or running onto the crossing without looking.
  • Rebuild the footpaths with new yellow tactile pavers along the corner of Paragon Avenue.
  • Paint broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) outside 180 and 182 Beach Haven Road to improve visibility for drivers exiting Paragon Avenue.
  • Install signs and paint new road markings to support the changes.

Download the proposal drawing for Beach Haven Road (PDF 875KB)

This will benefit your neighbourhood by:

  • slowing motorists to a safer speed
  • raising pedestrians crossing the road, especially children, to be at eye-level of approaching motorists, making them easier to see from a distance
  • improving visibility between motorists and people waiting to cross the road
  • making it more comfortable for everyone, including people with prams and wheelchairs, to cross the road as the crossing is level with the footpath.

These improvements would remove 8 parking spaces. We understand removing parking can be inconvenient, so we have minimised the removal of parking as much as possible while still improving safety and visibility of pedestrians using the new crossing.

More information

This proposal is supported with funding from the Auckland regional fuel tax.

Beach Haven: Safe with us

These proposed changes support Tāmaki Makaurau’s commitment to Vision Zero, an ambitious transport safety vision, with the goal of no deaths or serious injuries on our transport system by 2050. This approach acknowledges that as people we all make mistakes, however a mistake should not mean that someone dies or is seriously injured on our roads. It’s also an approach that values everyone using the road, not just those in vehicles. It is about caring for more vulnerable road users like people walking or cycling, children and the elderly. Vision Zero is the international benchmark for transport safety.