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Queen Street, George Street and Mellsop Avenue, Waiuku - Pedestrian Improvements Queen Street, George Street and Mellsop Avenue, Waiuku - Pedestrian Improvements

Proposal status: Feedback closed

Reference number: MIP2122-022

Proposal update

In April 2023, we invited community feedback on our proposal to improve safety for people crossing on Queen Street, George Street, Mellsop Avenue and Kent Street, Waiuku.

We have investigated and identified safety issues at the existing zebra crossing outside 118 Queen Street. We also took on board feedback that people want to cross the road closer to the Waiuku skatepark and playground.

The changes we’re making

We're upgrading the existing zebra crossing to a raised zebra crossing. The raised crossing gives priority to people crossing the road and cars need to slow on approach and stop. The crossing is on a wide, flat speed bump with an extended off-ramp to make for a smoother, quieter drive, especially for larger vehicles like buses and emergency service vehicles.

We’ll remove the existing zebra crossing from 118 Queen Street and build the new raised zebra crossing outside 120 Queen Street.

We're painting broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) on Kent Street. We need to clear access and re-allocate road space by removing 5 on-street parking – 2 on the southern side and 3 on the northern side.

Download updated proposal drawing (PDF, 1.9MB)

Proposal outcome

In March 2023, we proposed to improve pedestrian safety on Queen Street, George Street, Mellsop Avenue and Kent Street in Waiuku.  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 

The construction date is yet to be confirmed as it is subject to budget availability.  We will update this webpage and write to impacted businesses and residents when we know more details about the commencement of works. 

Community feedback

Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge.  Most respondents told us that the community would benefit from the proposed changes. It was said that it would stop unsafe driver behaviour like racing and speeding and make it a lot safer for children using the skate park.    

We also received a suggestion to slow motorists on Mellsop Ave requesting three raised zebra crossings. One outside at 6 Mellsop Avenue, another at the junction with Valley Road and a third at the junction of Valley Road and Rossiter Avenue. 

Currently Mellsop Avenue and the surrounding area has not been prioritised for speed calming measures. Speed calming measures are considered under our Residential Speed Management programme. From 2019 onwards, we’ve focused on reducing vehicle 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
  • concerns from residents and elected representatives.

Visit our webpage for information about how we made our decisions and to see the priority areas. 

We're proposing improvements in your area

In response to requests from the community, we are proposing some pedestrian improvements on Queen Street, George Street, Mellsop Avenue and Kent Street in Waiuku. We have investigated and identified safety issues at the existing zebra crossing on Queen Street.  Our investigation also confirmed that pedestrians most want to cross the road closer to the Waiuku skatepark and playground.

We are proposing to:

  • Remove the existing zebra crossing at 118 Queen Street.
  • Install a new raised zebra crossing on top of a flat, wide speed bump with side islands outside 120 Queen Street. This speed bump would be raised to the height of the footpath and these side islands would shorten the crossing distance and improve visibility for pedestrians.
  • Install tactile pavers at the crossing points which are yellow guidance paving markers to help visually impaired people find their way to the crossing and safely across roads.
  • Install new traffic islands with yellow tactile pavers in the middle of George Street at its intersection with Queen Street to provide a safe place for pedestrians to wait for traffic to stop while crossing the road.
  • Install a new footpath adjacent to the Waiuku skatepark and playground.
  • Rebuild the footpaths, install tactile pavers and plant new grass berms at the nearby intersections of Queen Street with George Steet, Mellsop Avenue and Kent Street.
  • Paint broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) to improve visibility between motorists and pedestrians at the new crossing and around nearby street corners, at:
    • Kent Street
    • George Street
    • Mellsop Avenue
  • Install signs and paint new road markings to support the changes.

 

Download the proposal drawing for Queen Street, George Street and Mellsop Avenue (PDF 1.8MB)

The proposed changes would:

  • Slow motorists to a safer speed.
  • Raise pedestrians, especially children, crossing the road to be at eye-level of approaching motorists, making them easier to see from a distance.
  • Improve visibility between motorists and people waiting to cross the road.
  • Provide a safe crossing location for pedestrians to access the Waiuku skatepark, playground and local grocers.
  • Make it more comfortable for everyone, including people with prams and wheelchairs, to cross the road as the crossing is level with the footpath.
  • Reduce the crossing distance across George Street.

These improvements would remove 14 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.

Waiuku: 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 Queen Street, George Street and Mellsop Avenue 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).