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Wickman Way and Tennessee Avenue, Māngere East – Safety Improvements Wickman Way and Tennessee Avenue, Māngere East – Safety Improvements

Proposal status: Closed

Reference number: SSM2122-017

Proposal update

In May 2023, we sent you a letter to let you know about our plan to improve pedestrian safety in your area.

This project is going ahead, but with a minor change.

Changes to the design

Near the area we will be working, the pipes that handle stormwater (rainwater) are having trouble keeping up. If we follow the original plan, there’s a high risk that during heavy rain, the water might overflow and flood nearby properties—like the shops next to the crossing.

To prevent flooding, we’re changing our strategy. Instead of a raised crossing with traffic lights, we’ll install speed humps on the roads leading to the crossing. Three parking spaces will be removed to make sure that larger vehicles like buses can travel smoothly over the speed humps. We acknowledge that this can be inconvenient, so we’ve minimised parking removal as much as possible.

These speed humps will slow down vehicles as they approach, without causing any problems for the stormwater pipes during heavy rainfall.

More Information

We aim to implement these changes by July 2024.

Download the updated design for Wickman Way (PDF 2.45MB)

Proposal Outcome

In May 2023, we proposed changes to improve the road crossing safety for pedestrians and cyclists at 18 Wickman Way, Mangere East. After reviewing all the feedback we received, we are proceeding with the following minor changes. These works will help support Tāmaki Makaurau’s Vision Zero goal.  

  • High friction surfacing will be added on the approaches to the crossings. High friction surfacing helps motorists stay in control of their vehicles. The length will be 30m on each approach.

Download the updated drawing for Wickman Way (PDF 1.9MB)

Download the updated drawing for Tennessee Avenue (PDF 2MB)

This proposal is funded by the Auckland regional fuel tax.

Community feedback

Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge.  A summary of your feedback and our responses to community questions is below.

Speed bumps

Request to put more speed bumps on Tennessee Avenue, McKinstry Avenue and Garus Avenue due to speeding.

We understand there are motorists who travel at inappropriate speeds in the area. This raised zebra crossing proposal aims to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety at crossing points where pedestrians are most vulnerable.

When considering additional speed calming such as speed bumps, from 2019, we have focused on reducing vehicle speeds in residential areas rather than single streets.

We prioritise areas based on:

  • the number of crashes
  • safety risk
  • traffic speed
  • land use
  • concerns from residents and elected representatives.

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

Concern that a raised zebra crossing would cause more traffic in the area. Suggestion for it to be 2 speed bumps instead, one between the two Chelburn Crescent/Wickman Way intersections (cars often speed around the bend) and one just after the lights to slow cars approaching the shops.                                      

Raised zebra crossings alert drivers to slow down and give-way to pedestrians. Raised crossings can also discourage “rat running motorists weave between main roads to beat traffic and avoid main intersections which increases the traffic volume and speed on local roads. Providing a raised zebra crossing can also encourage people to walk around the area safely by giving them a safe place to cross the road. 

Raised Crossings

Suggestion to put another raised crossing in front of 119-122 Tennessee Avenue. (Accidents have happened, lots of children walking to Sutton Park Primary School, visibility issues around the bend)

Thank you for your request for another raised crossing on Tennessee Avenue. These two projects were chosen because they are along sections of Wickman Way and Tennessee Avenue which already have crossing points and where we know vehicle speeds are higher.

We receive a lot of requests to improve pedestrian crossings. The location you have suggested needs to be further investigated so it can be prioritised.

  • Pedestrian crossings are typically assessed against the following:
  • Whether there are facilities in the area, such as schools, shops, public transport, and other amenities
  • The number of pedestrians crossing the road
  • How difficult it is for pedestrians to cross the road safely
  • The crash history in the area and any trends
  • The likelihood of crashes based on road features at the location

Others

Concern that the crossing on Tennessee Avenue will be under-utilised and a waste of money as there is not a lot of foot traffic. (Query: Why are we putting a crossing there?)

Currently, the pedestrian volume at the Tennesse Avenue crossing is moderate. Pedestrians walking in the area, cross the road slightly away from the existing pedestrian island. We have also done surveys which indicate vehicle speeds are high through this section of the road. The existing pedestrian island is not considered a safe crossing point. 

This proposal aims to promote walking and cycling while improving safety for pedestrians. There are no other nearby pedestrian facilities and installing a raised zebra crossing will give pedestrians priority and ensure that vehicles are travelling at safe speeds through the crossing point where pedestrians are most vulnerable.

We're proposing improvements in your area

To improve pedestrian safety and promote safer speed, we’re proposing changes in Māngere East on Wickman Way near Southern Cross Campus and Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae, and on Tennessee Avenue where we have observed high speeds. This proposal aims to slow speeds and provide safe crossing locations for all pedestrians, especially tamariki.

Outside 18 Wickman Way, we are proposing to:

  • Raise the existing signalised crossing. This is a crossing with traffic lights where pedestrians must press a button and wait for traffic to stop before they cross instead of white zebra lines.
  • Install tactile pavers at the crossing. These are yellow guidance paving markers to help visually impaired people to find their way to crossings and safely across roads.
  • Install new road markings and signage.
  • Widen the footpath near the crossing.

Download the proposal drawing for Wickman Way (PDF 1.9MB)

Outside 43 Tennessee Avenue, we are proposing to:

  • Build a raised zebra crossing.
  • Install new tactile pavers at the crossing.
  • Widen the existing pedestrian refuge island.
  • Install new road markings and signage. These include new broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) to ensure motorists can see pedestrians waiting to cross. This would result in the removal of 1 parking space. 

Download proposal drawing for Tennessee Avenue (PDF 636KB)

This project aims to improve pedestrian safety as it would:

  • Slow drivers to a safer speed around the crossing points.
  • Raise pedestrians, especially tamariki, crossing the road to be at eye-level of approaching drivers, making them easier to see from a distance.
  • Improve visibility between drivers and people waiting to cross the road.
  • Make it more comfortable for everyone, including people with prams and wheelchairs, to cross the road as the crossing is level with the footpath.

More information

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

Māngere East: 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 Wickman Way and Tennessee 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).