Hewletts Road Shared Path

Works are underway and are expected to take around three months – scheduled for completion in June 2023 (weather dependent). To minimise the disruption to businesses and road users, works will be undertaken in four consecutive stages.

Work has started at ‘Work area 1’ and is subsequently moving up the road and work in one area at a time for two to three weeks, weather permitting.

• Access to businesses within the work area will always be maintained.
• Traffic management will be in place for the active work area only – starting between Totara Street and Waimarie Street.
• To provide a safe work area and minimise disruption to traffic during peak hours, the northbound bus lane will be closed weekdays (Monday – Friday) between 5am and 3pm.
• This work won’t affect the regular traffic lanes, they’ll operate as per normal.
• A signposted detour will be in place for people walking and cycling. Pedestrians and cyclists are asked to use the footpath on the opposite side of Hewletts Road, with safe crossing points provided at the nearest intersections. Traffic controllers will be on site to direct people walking and cycling through the site and those entering and exiting businesses.

The objective of the shared path is to improve safety, connectivity and accessibility for people who already walk and cycle in the area.

The number of cyclists using SH2 Hewletts Road is increasing and there are safety concerns and constraints with the existing footpath.

We are proposing to widen the existing footpath on the northern side of Hewletts Road from Totara Street to Aerodrome Road – a 1.4km stretch.

The current footpath is 1.4m wide and we are proposing to make it approximately 2m wide to allow multiple users such as pedestrians, scooters, mobility scooters and cyclists to share the path. 

The proposal for the shared path involves widening the footpath within the road reserve, so no additional land is required.

We aim to deliver a solution which provides safety for pedestrians and cyclists while also maintaining essential access for businesses. We have developed a detailed design with feedback from cyclists, adjacent businesses and an independent Road Safety Audit. 

This shared path is in addition to the shared path currently under construction along Totara Street, which is being led by Tauranga City Council and supported by Waka Kotahi, and will connect Totara Street and the harbour bridge shared path with Maunganui Road and the Mount area.

Key design features include:

• 2m wide shared path on the northern side of Hewletts Road from Totara Street to Aerodrome Road.
• Improved existing signalised crossing tactile pavers to support orientation of blind and vision impaired pedestrians.
• On-path green cycle markings to provide clarity of use for all road users.
• Green cycle markings across driveways/accessways.
• Raised speed humps at entrances/exits of high-use driveways.
• Edge lines on the shared path where it is widened to the existing kerb to provide a visual buffer to the road.
• Existing obstacles, such as power poles and transformers will be marked out to warn path users and direct them away.
• Physical barriers (wheel stops) between the shared path and private parking to provide some physical separation between vehicles and path users.

Early 2023 – Construction starts

Mid-2023 – Construction expected to be complete