Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road, Papakura - Signalised Intersection Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road, Papakura - Signalised Intersection

Proposal status: Closed

Reference number: MIP1920-026

Proposal update

In January 2023, we advised you about delays to the project for the Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road intersection safety improvements. This project is going ahead, but we are writing to let you know about changes to the design.

Design updates

No raised crossing at the Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road intersection.

The intersection will still be controlled by traffic lights, to improve safety for drivers and give priority to people crossing. We’re responding to concerns raised by the freight industry for smoother access and traffic flow for large vehicles.

No stopping at all times areas (broken yellow lines) will be painted on Old Wairoa Road from number 158C towards the approach to the intersection.

We will need to remove 4 additional parking spaces which will improve visibility for drivers entering and exiting. It will also prevent vehicles from parking too close to the intersection.

Original project design included:

installing traffic lights with pedestrian crossings at all 4 approaches to the existing stop-controlled intersection of Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road
raising the Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road intersection
installing green cycle stop boxes for people on bicycles waiting at the lights
installing yellow tactile pavers to help visually impaired people find their way to the crossing and safely cross the road
removing one tree and telephone box outside 37 Cosgrave Road to allow enough space to create access to the pedestrian crossing
rebuilding footpaths and planting new grass berms at each corner of the intersection
painting new road markings, including a right turn bay and a shared through and left lane on Cosgrave Road. Old Wairoa Road to remain a single lane.
installing new signs to support the changes
painting no stopping at all times (broken yellow lines) on all approaches to the intersection. This will remove 14 on-street parking spaces; 3 from the western approach of Old Wairoa Road, 2 from the east, 6 from the northern approach of Cosgrave Road and 3 from the south.

Download the updated drawing (PDF, 2.2MB)

Next steps

Construction starts by 30 June 2024. We will be in touch with local residents and businesses prior to any construction taking place.

Proposal outcome

In June 2022, we proposed changes to improve pedestrian and driver safety at this busy intersection. These changes are in response to requests from the Papakura Local Board and local community.

After reviewing all the feedback, we are proceeding with the work as proposed. These works will help support our Vision Zero goal.

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

What happens next

We anticipate the changes will be constructed before July 2023. We will be in touch with residents before any construction takes place.

Community feedback

Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge.

In their feedback, people told us of their experience with this intersection. People said that it is dangerous and that too many accidents have occurred here. Many people said that these changes would improve the safety of the community.

Here is a summary of the additional comments and queries we received, and our responses to them:

Roundabout

Request for a roundabout at the Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road intersection.
A roundabout was considered for the Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road intersection. However, it was found to be unworkable as it would require road widening that would affect surrounding services. In particular, we would need to relocate or run underground a significant number of overhead powerlines and utility services.

There are also several other factors that affect the viability of this option, including adjacent parking bays and vehicle tracking.
Request for a roundabout at the Cosgrave Road and Clevedon Road intersection.
The Cosgrave Road and Clevedon Road intersection is in our 2023/2024 programme for further investigation. We cannot provide a possible installation timeframe at this stage.

Traffic lights

Concern about slowing traffic flow and creating a backlog of traffic.
Traffic modelling shows that the intersection will perform well without causing significant delays. We also expect the traffic signals to reduce delays for the side road traffic on both legs of Old Wairoa Road.
Suggestion to install traffic lights at the Clevedon Road and Cosgrave Road intersection instead.
We have identified the intersection of Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road as a high-risk intersection which needs improvement. The Cosgrave Road and Clevedon Road intersection is in our 2023/2024 programme for further investigation.
Request for longer traffic signals for cars.
We will optimise the operation of the traffic signals to best meet the needs of all road users.
Request for traffic lights at the Walters Road and Cosgrave Road intersection.
The intersection of Cosgrave Road and Walters Road is currently being considered for safety improvements as part of the NZ Upgrade Programme - Mill Road Corridor project, which is being run by Waka Kotahi.

Platform

Suggestion that the raised platform is not necessary.
Raised safety platforms are part of the Vision Zero Safe System approach to road safety. This approach aims to create a forgiving environment and reduce harm when people make mistakes.

Speed is the biggest determining factor to how much harm is caused in a crash. Raised safety platforms are designed to slow vehicle speeds to reduce the likelihood of a crash or to reduce the severity of the outcome if there is a crash.
Concern about the raised platform causing damage to vehicles.
The raised intersection ramps are designed to ensure a smooth transition. They will not cause damage to vehicles if drivers approach and travel over them at an appropriate speed.
Request for raised platform and extra turning lanes.
A raised intersection and right turn bays are proposed on Cosgrave Road. Single approach lanes are proposed on the Old Wairoa Road approaches. However, traffic modelling results for the signalisation show the overall intersection will perform satisfactorily well without significant delays.
Suggestion for raised platform only.
This is a very busy intersection. Drivers are currently taking very short gaps or failing to give way when turning from the side roads onto the main road. Signalising the intersection will address this problem.

Speed

Request for speed cameras at this location.
We do not install speed cameras as the responsibility for enforcing speeding vehicles is with the NZ Police. There is still a need to improve the intersection and address the current safety and operational issues associated with drivers failing to give way, while also providing safer pedestrian crossing facilities and enhancing the cycling facilities at the intersection.
Request to reduce the speed from 80km to 60km between Airfield Road and Old Wairoa Road.
We reviewed the section of Cosgrave Road from 100m north of Old Wairoa Road to Hamlin Road and reduced it from 80km/h to 60km/h from June 2022. We investigated the section to the north and deemed it not appropriate for a 60km/h speed limit due to the rural look and feel of this section of road

Speed bumps

Suggestion that speed bumps on all approaches to the intersection would have the same effect as traffic lights.
Speed bumps would not address the safety issues at this intersection caused by side road traffic needing to find appropriate gaps to enter the main road. Traffic lights signalising to drivers when to go or stop will address this problem.
Request for speed bumps on either side of Old Wairoa Road.
The raised intersection is proposed to slow down traffic on all legs of the intersection.
Request for speed bumps down Old Wairoa Road, especially by Pukeroa Place.
From 2019 onwards, we’ve focused on reducing speeds in residential areas rather than single streets. We choose our priority areas based on:
- the number of crashes
- safety risk
- traffic speed
- land use
- and concerns from residents and elected representatives.

Old Wairoa Road is not within our current priority areas. We’re dealing with other areas first because they have higher speeds and safety risks. Find more information about how we made our decisions and see the priority areas.

Crossing

Request to make crossing Cosgrave Road easier, especially for school children.
This proposal provides both pedestrian crossings and traffic lights to make crossing Cosgrave Road easier. All legs of the intersection will have kerb ramps so that people can easily move between the footpath and the road. They will also have tactile pavers, which are yellow guidance paving markers to help visually impaired people to find their way to crossings and safely across roads.
Request for a raised zebra crossing at Cosgrave School.
The zebra crossing outside Cosgrave School is not currently prioritised for improvements. However, we have included this location in our master list for consideration and prioritisation when we next review the programme for existing and new pedestrian crossing improvements within the Auckland region. We are unable to provide a timeframe for the investigation of this site.
Request to slow down traffic on Old Wairoa Road with a raised crossing.
The raised intersection will slow down traffic on all legs of the intersection.

Other suggestions and requests

Suggestion that the cycle boxes are not necessary.
It is important that every project looks to improve and future-proof possible improvements for all modes of travel, including cycling, in line with our strategic plans.
Suggestion to cut the trees immediately.
We have now removed the tree next to the phone box.
Request for more landscaping.
We will reinstate all grass berms. Given the footpath requirements on all 4 corners, the remaining space does not allow for further opportunities to provide more landscaping.
Suggestion to have clear road markings only.
Road markings would not be sufficient to address current safety issues at this intersection or provide any improvements for pedestrians or cyclists.
Request for warning stop signs until lights can be installed.
The intersection already has stop signs on either side of the road and accompanying road markings on both approaches.
Request for better driver training.
Driver training requirements fall under the jurisdiction of central government and Waka Kotahi.
Request to remove the turning bays.
The right turn bays are required to ensure the efficient operation of the intersection.

We're proposing improvements in your area

The Papakura Local Board and local community have asked us to improve pedestrian and driver safety at this busy intersection, so we are proposing to:

Install traffic lights with pedestrian crossings at all 4 sections of the existing stop-controlled intersection of Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road.
Install a raised platform at the centre of the Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road intersection.
Install cycle stop boxes, which are green boxes painted with a bicycle symbol where people on bicycles can wait before the lights.
Install tactile pavers which are yellow guidance paving markers to help visually impaired people find their way to the crossing and safely cross the road.
Remove a tree and telephone box outside 37 Cosgrave Road to allow enough space to create access to the pedestrian crossing.
Rebuild the footpaths and plant new grass berms at each of the corners of the intersections.
Reinstate the existing footpath at 37 Cosgrave Road.
Paint new road markings and add signs to support the signalisation of the intersection. Cosgrave Road will include a right turn bay and a shared through and left lane. Old Wairoa Road will remain a single lane.
Paint broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) on all approaches to the intersection. This will remove 14 on-street parking spaces; 3 from the western approach of Old Wairoa Road, 2 from the east, 6 from the northern approach of Cosgrave Road and 3 from the south.

Download the proposal drawing for Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road (PDF 1.7MB)

We would like to work with you to deliver safer roads in your neighbourhood. We have received requests to improve safety at this intersection as there have been a high number of crashes here over the past few years.

Installing a raised platform and traffic lights will improve pedestrian and driver safety by providing safer, clear pedestrian crossing points and directing safe turning movements. Including cycle boxes will improve the level of service for cyclists at the intersection and through this area. Removing some on street parking is necessary to support these changes. We understand that removing parking can be inconvenient, so we have minimised the removal whilst allowing for queueing capacity and ensuring all vehicles can safely move through the intersection.

It is our goal that everyone; drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and our most vulnerable, should be able to move around this area as safely and efficiently as possible.

What happens next

We’ll consider all the feedback we receive, and then decide the best way to move forward.
We’ll post the outcome of this proposal and a summary of community feedback on this webpage.
We can email you the proposal outcome as soon as it’s ready – just select that option when you fill in the survey.

More information

This proposal is supported with funding from the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax

Papakura: Safe with us

Auckland Transport cares for your safety. We want to make our roads safe for everyone, people walking and cycling, especially for our kids and senior citizens and people driving. Projects like this one around Cosgrave Road and Old Wairoa Road are another step towards our goal of achieving no deaths or serious injuries on our roads. We are guided by the Vision Zero approach to transport safety, which prioritises human safety over other measures (like minor time saving).