The Te Ara Alexandra Project – Auckland Council / Auckland Transport Item

The Te Ara Alexandra Project is a stream restoration and recreational pathway project in the Rosedale and Unsworth Heights areas. The aim of this project is to improve connectivity between local neighbourhoods, workplaces and schools with an off road path, while improving stream water quality, scenery and the environment for native fish and bird habitat.

Stage 1 of the cycle/walkway that runs from Rosedale Road to Barbados Drive was started in November 2010 and is complete. A 3m shared path has been constructed along Jack Hilton Drive, across Paul Mathews Road, through the tunnel under Upper Harbour Highway and across Rook Reserve to Rook Place. Cycle route signage will be added from Rosedale Road, along Jack Hinton Drive to meet the path and from the end of Rook Place to Barbados Drive.

Stage 2 will extend the 3m path from Barbados Drive, through the Unsworth Reserve, crossing the wetland and bush areas as timber boardwalk. The path will finish at Goldfinch Rise and is scheduled for completion in May 2012.

A large section of the path is made out of permeable concrete that allows water to pass through the surface and soak in to the soil slowly, minimizing runoff. The tunnel under the Upper Harbour Highway has been given a makeover with a mural and lighting. Extra fitness equipment and interpretative signs have also been installed in the Unsworth Reserve.

To see where the new cycle route will go, check out thisroutelink.

North Shore Cyclist Pit Stops & Mid Winter Bike Breakfasts – Auckland Council / Auckland Transport Item

Three Cyclist Fuel Stops were held in June at the Devonport Ferry Terminal, Bayswater Ferry Terminal and the Devonport Navy Base.

Cyclists going past were thanked for cycling and rewarded with free muffins and a juice. Cyclists were also offered a range of cycling gear to help with their dedication to keep riding through winter such as sports towels to dry wet seats, helmet lights and back pack covers to stay bright, bike bells to alert pedestrians of their approach, and even travel mugs for carrying coffee.

Two mid-winter breakfasts were also held in June in the warmth of heated cafes. Columbus Coffee at Smales Farm and Caffe Massimo in Takapuna hosted 60 cyclists each for a free breakfast and hot coffee. Like at the fuel stops, everybody was offered cycling gear to help them to keep comfortable and safe when riding in the winter.

Lake Road update

Cyclists travelling Lake Rd between Hauraki Corner and Esmonde Rd are now reveling in the on-road cycle lanes, and eagerly await the completion of the green surface treatment, which is being incrementally applied, including the greening of the Advance Stop Box southbound at Hauraki Corner.

Cycle Action continues to be concerned by the section of Lake Rd immediately to the south of Hauraki Corner where southbound bikes and cars are in conflict in the short merge lane, and northbound cyclists have the “share with care” path disappear where it’s needed most.  We are working with Auckland Transport to see how cyclist safety and convenience can be improved, and hope to report some positive developments in the next newsletter.

Albany Highway

Auckland Transport has created a concept plan for the four-laning of Albany Highway between Schnapper Rock Rd and SH17, as part of the formal process required to upgrade this road.

We submitted on Albany Highway back in 2008, and noted numerous faults ranging from pinch points, broken shoulders, obstructions by parked vehicles, and relatively narrow, poorly marked and unfriendly on-road cycle lanes which disappear just at the wrong time.

With three schools on the route, we were particularly keen to see safety and convenience for school children cycling as a primary design consideration.  With some trepidation we opened the plans, and were delighted to find that the entire length of this section of Albany Highway will have off-road cycle paths in both directions – either dedicated or “share with care” with pedestrians where there is slightly less width available.

Subsequently, our submission was very complimentary to the design team, and focused on detail we would like to see in the final design.  In case you’re wondering about the many on-road commuter and sports cyclists who use the highway, their needs haven’t been forgotten.  The kerbside lanes are to be Transit Lanes, and we’ve requested these to be of sufficient width to allow safe co-existence between faster cyclists and buses.

So all in all a big thumbs up to Auckland Transport and their design team.  It’s great to see this level of thought going in to highway design, where walking, cycling and public transport receive as much focus as private motor vehicles.