In July and August 2011, we undertook a community engagement programme, in which we invited the community to comment on these proposals and their overall effects and on some design aspects on which we had yet to make final decisions, such as:
- whether we should build a separate pedestrian cyclist facility on the bridge around the Basin Reserve; and
- how pedestrians and cyclists should be separated from other traffic in the second Mt Victoria Tunnel.
Feedback and submissions from the community is to be used to help us make decisions on the above matters, including the location for the bridge, as well as informing the preparation of the Resource Management Act (RMA) applications for the proposals, which are to be submitted in 2013.
This report describes the community engagement programme and summarises the feedback we received.
What are the benefits for Wellington?
These improvements will make SH1 the preferred and most efficient route for vehicles travelling between the central business district and the eastern suburbs. This is a key objective of the Corridor Plan. The proposed improvements will also:
- provide road space around the Basin Reserve for potential light rail services or an alternative high-quality public transport system in future years
- provide a new facility linking the cycleway along Cobham Drive to the Basin Reserve and on to the cycleway along Karo Drive
- provide new ‘green corridor links’ between the National War Memorial and the Basin Reserve, and the Town Belt and Kilbirnie Park
- support economic development in the City and in particular in the eastern suburbs.
Where to go for more information
We want you to be informed about the proposed transport improvements from Cobham Drive to Buckle Street.
Brochure: The brochure [PDF, 2.5 MB] contains an overview of the improvements.
Website: More information is on the individual projects’ websites Mt Victoria Tunnel to Cobham Drive and Transport improvements around the Basin Reserve (including Buckle Street). From there you can also download the technical reports that give detailed reasons for the transport improvements and the options considered.
By phone: Phone us on 0508 WITI INFO (0508 9484 4636) and a project team member will be available to answer your questions between 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
Information boards: More information is set out on display boards. PDFs of these are available for download.
What are the next steps?
We are currently in the investigation phase for the Wellington inner-city transport improvements. Following your feedback, we will advise you of our decisions on the options set out in the brochure [PDF, 2.5 MB]. Your feedback will also help us refine the design of the transport improvements prior to seeking the statutory approvals under the Resource Management Act (RMA).
There will be further community engagement prior to seeking these statutory approvals. At that stage we will confirm the impacts of the improvements, such as construction and noise, and set out how we propose to lessen these affects.
Subject to obtaining the necessary RMA approvals, construction of the improvements will be phased as envisaged in the Corridor Plan(external link) and in the Roads of National Significance (RoNs) programme:
- The Basin Reserve improvements will be constructed first to provide relief to SH1 traffic and to facilitate plans for a high-quality public transport spine. Some interim improvements to Ruahine Street, Wellington Road and the intersections along the Inner City Bypass may also be undertaken at this time.
- Construction of the second Mt Victoria Tunnel and widening of Ruahine Street and Wellington Road will occur later. The RoNS programme currently envisages these projects being undertaken following construction of the Kapiti section of the Wellington Northern Corridor and Transmission Gully.
