Future streets

A number of organisations, including Auckland Transport and the Transport Agency, have teamed up with the Mangere–Otahuhu local board to fund an innovative community safety project called Te Ara Mua (Future Streets).

The $7m project aims to transform the streets of central Mangere so that they are safer and easier for people to use, especially pedestrians and cyclists.

Mangere Central currently ranks fourth out of 275 Auckland communities for fatal and serious crashes. More than a quarter of these crashes involve pedestrians. Te Ara Mua aims to reduce this toll by 50-70% over 10 years.

For the past 18 months, the Te Ara Mua team has worked with the local community – who know their streets best - to understand road safety issues in the area and propose solutions. Reducing car speeds in areas used by pedestrians and cyclists was identified as a priority, as was improving cycle paths, pedestrian crossings, intersections and access to the town centre and schools.

As well as significantly improving safety in central Mangere, it is hoped that Te Ara Mua will result in more people cycling and walking - including school children, who will be provided with safer routes to school.

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