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By BarbC, April 15, 2013

Note – Monday update, with major amendment of project costs – see below 

Yes, that’s what it takes if one insists that cars should be allowed on a road that has been closed to cars, and used exclusively by walkers, cyclists and  horses  since 2010. The Esplanade on Waiheke was closed to motorised traffic as a trial in response to public demand. But now, a very expensive plan is being drawn up to  reconstruct the road and its seawall to allow for two way vehicle traffic, including ‘traffic calming measures’.

The cost of the project has been estimated to be at least $2m. It’s worrying that Auckland Transport sees fit to recommend this spending on a minor, secondary road, ahead of other more important and urgent road priorities on the island.  Suffice to say that the Waiheke Local Board is leading this ill conceived project, having given $180,000 of their local board funding to kick-start the opening of Esplanade to car traffic.

The road is an old piece of infrastructure built originally to access a wharf (now long gone). It was never built for two way car traffic and over the years has been increasingly vulnerable to erosion from the sea and slips from the cliffs above. It is claimed by some to be a major scenic route for car drivers, but in reality is mostly valued as a fishing spot and quiet route for walking and cycling, including by children travelling to all the local schools which are close to the eastern end of the road. The road has therefore received minimal maintenance, commensurate with it’s low status in the island’s road network for motor vehicles.

The wider Auckland region also has an interest in The Esplanade, as it was promoted as attraction in the National Cycle Trail bid for Waiheke. While other, recently approved National Cycle Trails have been harvesting a bonanza of visitors and tourist dollars for their regions, the Auckland and Waiheke bids have been gestating in AT, pending application to Wellington’s Cycle Trail Team. The plan to destroy the distinctive character of The Esplanade created by its exclusive use by walkers, cyclists and horses is regrettable in terms of Waiheke’s Cycle Trail bid.

A public meeting is to be held at 3pm, Saturday 13 April at the Ostend Memorial Hall to discuss the proposed work for The Esplanade and its upgrade for full car access. Representatives from the Waiheke Local Board and Auckland Transport have been invited. Further information (by Cycle Action Waiheke, one of the groups opposed to the reopening) is here, explaining why this project makes little sense.

Monday update – Auckland Transport were supplied with a copy of this blog, and advise that the costs referred to above, which we obtained from a recent report in the Gulf News, (and, we assume, from an earlier AT report to the Local Board) are out of date.

AT has completed a major review of the project, and the costs are now calculated to be $514,771 (This is made up of : Preliminary & General – $65,895; Foreshore protection –  $199,816; Existing Sea Wall Protection - $114,833;  Traffic Calming Works - $ 134,226) 

We understand that Saturday’s meeting was well attended (including Green MP’s Denise Roche and Julie Anne Genter, and Local Board Member, Don McKenzie). The updated costs were tabled. The meeting resolved:

• That this meeting of in excess of 150 people requests the Waiheke Local Board to keep the Esplanade closed to motor vehicles (except for emergencies) until a referendum is held on the subject.
• That this meeting requests the Waiheke Local Board to agree to defer the spending of Local Board Discretionary funding of $134,000 for traffic calming until a public discussion and referendum is held and that there is input to the text of the referendum from the wider community.
• That this meeting calls for those with a passion for this issue to organise themselves to continue with community information, engagement and advocacy.
  

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By admin, April 1, 2013

Repeating the event recently held on the northern side of the bridge, the SkyPath Trust and the Waitemata Local Board invite you to a meeting Thursday next week (11 April).

What will the walk and cycleway over the Auckland Harbour Bridge mean for the area? How and where will it connect? IS there indeed going to be icecream?

If you are interested, click on the poster at right to find out more [Richmond Yacht Club is at the AHB end of Curran Street, and then along the the seawall btw...]

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By admin, March 22, 2013

Well actually – calling you to a Kaipatiki Local Board meeting next Tuesday where the SkyPath Trust will discuss with locals.

What will the walk and cycleway over the Auckland Harbour Bridge mean for the area? How and where will it connect? IS there indeed going to be icecream?

If you are interested, click on the poster at right to find out more. One of CAA’s committee members who knows the area well will also attend to represent us.

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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.

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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.