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By admin, March 17, 2013

…because the Devonport-Takapuna “Green Route” path will soon get a new walking / cycling bridge to carry you across the bay north from Bayswater.

This very long, and VERY narrow footbridge sits atop a large utility pipe, and barely has enough width for moms with strollers, let alone for cyclists wanting to pass pedestrians at a polite distance.

The new bridge will make encounters a bit more relaxed, as it will provide 2.5m width. There will also be works on the approach paths, and a wider viewing platform in the middle of the span, so you can gaze over the Waitemata.

Soul Environments and BECA designed the new bridge for Auckland Council, and it will be constructed over three months this winter above the existing pipe.

The only real downside is that since they have to remove the old bridge first to build the new one above the pipe, there will be no connection across for that period – a foreshore detour route will be provided, but it stands to be seen how useful that will be for cyclists in the interim.

At least you will know what to look forward to!

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Comments (2)

By admin, March 8, 2013

By John Mauro

As a new Auckland resident, it was a thrill to ride down to the Waitemata Greenways event a few weeks ago. An opportunity to learn about how Greenways work and give feedback on the Waitemata Local Board’s initiative, the event was well attended, informative and energizing.

Like Greenways are supposed to do once they’re built, the event made me feel comfortable, safe and welcome  (please be sure to give your feedback today—survey closes on 11 March!)

Greenways aren’t necessarily a new concept, but it’s a concept whose time at the forefront has come. Cities around the world install Greenways, more recently cities like Portland and Seattle, with tremendous success, rebranded them from “bicycle boulevards” to “neighbourhood greenways.”  The infrastructure matters, for certain, but the rebranding truly helps.

Anyone reading this post probably understands why greenways are a good idea: done well they slow down traffic and reduce car volumes on already low-volume streets. They connect neighbourhoods with safe facilities for all types of bike riders. And their green features make them an even greater pleasure to ride on.

But, as I’ve written and said elsewhere before, it’s not just about bikes. Keep your ear to the ground and you’ll hear other great descriptions of greenways, like:

• Family friendly
• Safe for kids
• Cheap for taxpayers – with excellent return on investment
• Great, vibrant and green streetscapes
• Traffic calming and noise reducing
• Less cut-through traffic and dangerous close-calls
• Easy to walk, short trips (no need for my car and for parking)
• Encourages new bike riders who wear normal clothes!

We should all be telling the compelling story of greenways so that all of Auckland can hear, since all citizens stand to benefit -regardless of if you ride a bicycle or not.

But it’s more than just good PR. It’s of paramount importance to get the greenway network right. That means both ensuring that the network truly connects where people want to go (while considering things like topography) and also means well-constructed infrastructure that doesn’t skimp on safety and good design. Bike priority signals, adequate paint and signage, smart crossings of main arterials and other important ingredients are part of the mix of how to get greenways right – and people riding them.

I have attached a few photos from a Portland visit I did some time back.

Many of the first Greenways projects around Auckland concentrate on routes in parks and reserves -  possibly based on the frustrations people have in Auckland riding on the road, and in getting good cycle infrastructure built on these roads. So while we should all celebrate and advocate for greenways, let’s not forget that we have several other important tools available to make bicycling in Auckland an excellent and enjoyable experience. Greenways can’t replace urgently needed infrastructure on arterials—like protected bike lanes and cycle tracks.

For now, remember to submit your thoughts to the Waitemata Local Board and talk up Greenways in your neighbourhood. Let’s look forward to the ways that they’ll help us connect safely and conveniently to where we want to go and to connect to each other as citizens and neighbors of an increasingly liveable and bikeable city.

Comments (15)

By admin, March 1, 2013

CAA doesn’t actually build any cycleways – we support others who do. And one of our core values is linking groups – departments, funders, local authorities and community organisations – to encourage them to see the mutual benefits of a great cycle network.

Many of the community groups in particular already have great visions for their particular area – and increasingly, nobody needs to tell them the value of cycling. One of those great groups we recently got into contact with is the Whau River Catchment Trust / Friends of the Whau. They are a group based, unsurprisingly, around improving the natural environment – and people’s appreciation of – the Whau River in West Auckland.

The Whau is the great estuary / river wending its way towards the Waitemata between what used to be Auckland City and Waitakere City. Like much of Auckland’s waterways and coastlines, it has a lot of modification and damage to its tributiary streams and the coastline itself. While most of it is held in public land, it is very hard to access and enjoy – almost impossible so without a boat. The trust, and their ‘Friends of the Whau’ volunteer arm, have made it their goal to improve the natural health of the area, and enable people to enjoy it.

And boy, one of the projects that they have created has really caught our attention:

The Whau West Greenway

Based on the Greenways philosophy – walk & cycleways connecting our parks and open spaces in a safe and people-friendly manner – they have created a scheme that would result in a path along the western coastline of the Whau from Olympic Park in eastern New Lynn up to SH16 in Te Atatu.

Think “Twin Streams along the Coast”, following the shore for about 15 km.

Of course we couldn’t but offer our whole-hearted support. We are happy to report that in our first meeting, we hit it off well with their people, and are already discussing ways to help them push the first pilot projects for the Greenways scheme. In fact, there may even be a chance to extend it further north, and not let the idea stop at the motorway – why not let Te Atatu Pensinula enjoy that link along the coast as well?

Projects like Whau West Greenways will take time to become reality – but unlike on our roads, where every cycleway seems to be a battle, a “zero-sum” game (at least in some people’s minds), on these projects, we all get to win right from the start.

From locals who can suddenly appreciate (and care for) the environment in their “back yard”, to school children and commuters getting a new way to avoid driving, to a new route for recreational outings by foot or bike on a pleasant days.

We look forward to another great idea for Auckland becoming true. And if you want to help, you now know where to go!

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By admin, January 31, 2013

More details on the Greenways plan of the Waitemata Local Board! High-quality maps of the proposed routes are now available (PDF with 3 pages of maps).

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They are still teasing us by noting on their Greenways page that the online submission form will only be up from around the 8th of February, but they are already inviting you to an event where you will get more information, and can tell them your thoughts about this exciting plan:

What: Waitemata Greenways Event.

When: Wednesday 20 February from 4-7pm

Where: Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club, 55-61 Elgin Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland.

They are also organising guided tours of the proposed routes, with more info on those to come.

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By admin, December 13, 2012

You may have heard rumours already – the Waitemata Local Board area is getting their own Greenways scheme! Walk & cycle routes connecting our green spaces, and aimed at being useable by walkers and bike riders of all ages and skill levels. A bit different from the Regional Cycle Network, which prioritises commuter-type cycle routes more – Greenways projects are more about being out and about in your neighbourhood, about local trips – convenience, but not in a hurry.

Like all good transformative projects, the Waitemata Greenways network thinks big, but starts with some realistic first steps.

The project will, to start, prioritise routes that mainly traverse local parks and reserves and don’t require (much) on-road work – thus making these stages independent of the (always tight) walking & cycling budgets. Instead, the Local Board has set aside some of their own discretionary funding – $150,000 for the initial phase. We are excited to hear about the first project – a rebuild of the Cox Bay Boardwalk, widening it from 1.2m to 2.5m, and turning it into a shared path. In the longer term, this same Greenway is to connect with Grey Lynn Park, and eventually all the way to the Northwestern Cycleway.

Projects on the priority list are:

G1 – Grey Lynn Coxs Bay Reserve – Grey Lynn Park – Arch Hill – Nixon Park

G2 – Parnell Parks Link: Auckland Domain – Parnell Road – Scarborough / Alberon Rerserves – Hobson Bay / Point Resolution – Tamaki Drive – Waipapa Valley Newmarket Park – Parnell Tunnel – Auckland Domain – Quay and Learning Quarters

G3 – Coastal: Point Chevalier – Meola Reef – Westmere – Coxs Bay Reserve – Herne Bay – Point Erin Park – Westhaven – Harbour Bridge Crossing or Victoria Park

G4 – Waiorea to K. Road: Meola Reef – MOTAT – Western Springs – Arch Hill Reserve – North Western Cycleway – Newton – Karangahape Road

G5 – Ponsonby Coxs Bay Reserve – Ponsonby – Freemans Bay – Victoria Park

G6 – Crummer RoadArch Hill – Crummer Road – Grey Lynn – Ponsonby – Western Park

Sorry about the relatively low map image quality – when official consultation starts soon, we will be able to point you to higher-quality maps which we can’t upload here due to file size limits. The Local Board promise that generous time will be given for publicising the scheme and to allow public input, possibly until February.

Three cheers for the Waitemata Local Board for pushing forward with this exciting vision.