NEWS RELEASE
12 May 2017

Work ramps up on Hutt Road shared path

The first of about 80 lamp posts being removed from the seaward side of Hutt Road have come out this week, as work ramps up to make this busy commuter route safer for people on foot and bikes.

Wellington City Council contractors have almost finished installing 105 new poles and brighter LED lights on the other side of the road, and construction work is now getting under way near the Aotea Quay over bridge.

Between now and November, work will be carried out in sections of about 100 metres from the overbridge to Caltex Fuel Stop, which will significantly improve the existing shared path adjacent to the road.

The new poles on the western side of the road have long outreach arms and brighter lights.

Cr Sarah Free, the Council’s Portfolio Leader for Public Transport, Cycling and Walking, says it is great to see the transformation work on the shared path getting under way.

“This $4.5 million project is all part of improving the city’s cycling and pedestrian network, giving people more travel choices, and making Wellington an even more sustainable and appealing place to live,” she says.

“The Hutt Road is a crucial link in the region’s wider cycle network. It is the first of two stages in Wellington’s Northern Connection, running from Bunny Street to Ngauranga, and will eventually connect with other projects all the way through to Melling in Lower Hutt.

“Over coming months, we’ll be progressively removing obstacles on the shared path, and resurfacing it to make it safer and easier to use.”

The improvements include:
* putting in new kerbs
* relocating and altering the layout of some bus stops
* laying new concrete and asphalt
* making safety changes at driveways and vehicle entrances to slow traffic
* widening the bridge over the Kaiwharawhara Stream.

The Council’s Portfolio Leader Transport Strategy and Operations, Councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman, says the upgrade is being funded in partnership with the Government and New Zealand Transport Agency, and is exciting because it is the first of many in Wellington City’s Urban Cycleways Programme.

“There will be a lot going on adjacent to the road while the work happens, but the contractors will be doing the work in stages. They will work with local businesses, residents and others who use this area to minimise disruption as much as possible.”

A safe route for people on foot and bikes will be provided through or around the construction area, and people will be able to get to all businesses.

Traffic management will be in place at times where work is happening, but the usual number of traffic lanes will operate at peak times.

Hutt Road is one of the most popular cycling routes in Wellington. More than 400 people travel this way at peak times and the numbers choosing to use the shared path has doubled in the past 10 years.

City Councillors voted in August last year to go with a staged approach to implementing the cycle and other transport improvements along the route.

The improvements under way will allow for a future two-way cycleway and dedicated pedestrian path, but will continue to operate as a shared space for now until decisions are made about the parking.

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