Planning projects tend to have three stages: The exuberant “Why don’t we do this great thing?” stage, the cynical “That will never work / never be funded!” stage and the final realistic “Okay, this is what we agreed on.” stage when you find a middle ground – that hopefully still pushes the boundaries, but also stands a good chance of becoming reality.

With no further comment, I will thus show below the future cycle network included in the recently finalised City Centre Masterplan. Discuss.

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8 Responses to “In brief: The City Centre’s future cycle routes”

1. rtc says:

   August 22, 2012 at 12:18 am

   It looks like a good start, however, nowhere near a network IMO. I also worry that it will simply remain lines on a map because the supposedly complete Symonds Street cycle lanes are simply the bus lanes. I don’t know whose idea it was to lump the largest vehicles with the worst sightlines in with people on biles.

   Based on the fact that a bus lane is considered a high quality cycle lane by the council, there’s not much work to be done to complete this map as probably around 2/3rds of the green lines have bus lanes as it is.

   Or am I making assumptions here and the dedicated cycling route really does mean separated cycling lanes al la what Vancouver has been retrofitting their similar city streets with?
   • Max says:

     August 22, 2012 at 7:33 am

     Hi rtc – look closer. Symonds Street isn’t even on that map! That is the Grafton Gully Cycleway.

     As for what “dedicated” means – well, it’s up to us and the city centre masterplan team to push to make sure that that IS high quality. Fully agree that a shared bus lane it ain’t. Neither, I think, do the people who created this map seem to feel that way.
2. Daniel says:

   August 22, 2012 at 9:22 am

   I don’t know why they don’t use the space under the Victoria Park Flyover to create a cycle lane between the Wynyard Precinct and Franklin Road? They could also use the flyover to attach fixed lighting to the space. It’ll look great as well as making that area safe for cyclists and pedestrians
   • Max says:

     August 22, 2012 at 9:39 am

     Fair point – but (and I haven’t been down there for a while, correct me if I am wrong), isn’t that already the case?

     There may not be a straight route to Daldy Street, the future linear park / cycle route through Wynyard Quarter (because a direct link across Victoria Park would cut through the sportsfields), but I do believe that there are numerous paths – some quite wide and new – in the western part of Victoria Park and under / around the viaduct that allow you to cycle across, linking the two parts. This may be more them concentrating on which streets will receive cycle facilities, and having just forgotten to show the park’s internal links which already exist?
3. Steve says:

   August 22, 2012 at 12:17 pm

   I like the general thrust of it, though the cycling wording seems rather aspirational, and I wonder how soon we’ll see actual progress.

   One aspect I was concerned about:
   “The proposed additional harbour crossing would further strengthen connectivity to the north, and reduced traffic volumes on the Harbour Bridge would allow for the introduction of a cycleway and improved public transport on the Harbour Bridge, as volumes of traffic reduce.”

   So what about GetAcross? Do we have to wait for a second harbour crossing before we can cycle between the City and the Shore?
   • Max says:

     August 22, 2012 at 12:31 pm

     Hi Steve – agree, it’s aspirational and longer-term. The actual changes lie in the LTP (Long Term Plan – i.e. the Council’s budget) and in Auckland Transport’s programme of works. However, the City Centre Master Plan IS statutory. As an advocate, I can tell you that that is worth a lot when you fight for projects, even if they themselves are not statutory.

     Also, a variety of works are already being prepared (Grafton Gully Cycleway, Beach Road cycleway, Waterfront cycleway), while others are at least seriously being pursued for the coming years, i.e. Quay Street improvements including cycling.

     I also note that a walking and cycling overbridge at Wellesley Street / Grafton Road crops up several times in the text, though I haven’t seen any comment yet as to the when. Maybe I need to check the timeframes at back, see if it is mentioned there.
     • Max says:

       August 22, 2012 at 1:35 pm

       Re GetAcross – the references in recent Council plans seem to be a wild mix. This is a reference that sounds “older” – we have now agreement from all parties that it is technically feasible to build it on the existing bridge, so I would not put too much weight on it. Just a carry-over from older documents. Several players are interested in making it happen, just the money is missing.

       The exact way it is referred to in the City Centre Masterplan, I would not see as a serious hindrance. Money, money, money. That’s the true hindrance. Council is currently (re?)-studying the business case for the pathway. Let’s hope that has some benefit beyond creating another report.
4. Julian says:

   August 28, 2012 at 1:08 am

   Not a million miles from the routes that Pippa and I put up for the Great Urban Rides https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en Shame that AT never got around to finishing off the loops with signs in each of the town centres explaining the route and what you could expect