Frequently asked questions

Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One section

•   What is the Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One (N2P) section of Te Ara Tupua?

  The new walking and cycling link will be a safe, separated shared path at the harbour’s edge, fixing a missing link for walking and cycling between Wellington and the Hutt Valley. It will provide an efficient and attractive option, encouraging more people to switch from driving to walking or cycling and providing new recreational opportunities.

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•   Why was the harbour-side option selected?

  In 2015 we selected a design that follows the seaward side of the Hutt Valley rail line. This decision was made following extensive public consultation, and where support for a harbour-side option was made very clear. Construction involves coastal reclamation, which presents unique challenges, but will also create a valuable and resilient asset for the Wellington region.

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•   What are the benefits of the proposed harbour-side walking and cycling link, compared to the previously considered options?

  The harbour-side option will create a 5m wide corridor between the harbour and the railway line. This enables the creation of a higher standard path with more space than the discounted road-side options. As it is separated from vehicle traffic it will also be safer and more attractive for new users compared to other options.

  Another benefit of the harbour-side option comes from new coastal edges that will protect the infrastructure on the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One corridor from the risk of erosion and damage from storm surges, and also provide a vital access route for emergency vehicles in an emergency where SH2 is blocked – such as a landslide caused by a major earthquake. The road-side options would not have created this additional benefit.

  The creation of a coastal path is also a key link in a future walking and cycling route around Wellington Harbour. The completion of this publicly accessible coastal path will create recreational, cultural and tourism opportunities.

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•  What are the key elements of the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section?

  Key features include:

  • • Shared Path: A 4.5km shared path with a 5m wide sealed surface on the seaward side of the Hutt Valley Railway Line
    • Ūranga (landings): 6 ūranga (landings) located at key sites along the shared path’s length providing areas for planting, landscaping, habitat creation, and gathering, resting and viewing areas for people to use.
    • Shared path bridge at Ngā Ūranga: A new architecturally designed bridge providing access over the railway.
    • Revetments: 2.7km of sloping coastal defences protecting the shared path and ūranga. These are designed with the ability to adapt to sea-level rise and are 16m wide on average.
    • Seawalls: 6 seawall segments protecting the shared path, totalling approximately 600m in length. Seawalls are used where necessary to avoid high-value habitat areas.
    • Offshore habitats: small offshore habitats for coastal bird life, constructed of naturalised rock forms.

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•   Why does the harbour-side option end at the Ngauranga interchange?

  A harbour-side path past the Ngauranga interchange was considered as part of a long list of options. This wasn’t feasible due to:

  • the lack of an obvious route and safety concerns around cyclists and pedestrians passing the ferry terminal
  • linking the route to residential and employment areas is difficult when compared to the Hutt Road
  • prohibitive costs.

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•   How will you manage the environmental effects of coastal reclamation?

  Much of the marine environment along the foreshore from Ngauranga to Petone is already highly modified as a result of previous reclamation, with the shoreline mostly constructed of concrete walls and imported rock armouring.

  Identifying and assessing mitigation measures is a key part of preparing consent applications. We worked closely with iwi, ecologists, coastal experts, NIWA, urban designers, civil engineers and the planning team to develop an inspiring coastal pathway design and user experience. This work involves looking at how to incorporate new native planting while restoring the coastal habitat for seabirds. We have designed coastal edges that will be resilient to major storm events and adaptable to future sea level rise.

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•   How have you considered different users on the path?

  We believe the new path will be wide enough for cyclists and pedestrians to safely share the facility. Markings and cues will guide users – directing people on foot towards the harbour, and faster riders towards the rail line.

  The 5m width was chosen to balance the needs of path users with the need to minimise the impacts on the coastal marine environment which would be greater with the wider reclamation that would be needed for separate facilities.

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•   Will the path remain open during adverse weather?

  We will design the path to minimise sea spray and, where possible, to withstand environmental effects. However, the path is close to the sea which means it could be closed during very severe weather.

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•   How will you address pedestrian and cyclists’ safety concerns along State Highway 2 until the new path is available?

  We will continue to monitor SH2 and the existing path between Horokiwi and Ngauranga and make improvements where possible, until an off-road shared path is available.

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•   What will be done with the existing path on the southbound side of SH2?

  This is yet to be determined, and will be considered as part of the whole corridor approach, looking at the needs of all users.

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•   Where does the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section stop and the Petone to Melling cycleway start? Is there a seamless link?

  The Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section has a different schedule for completion but is being designed to link seamlessly with the Petone to Melling section. The two projects meet at Hutt Road in Petone just north of the roundabout.

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•  Where will the material come from to construct the Ngauranga to Petone coastal reclamation and rock seawall?

  It is too soon to say exactly where the material will be sourced.

  There are two main types of material required. Some is rock, used for the revetment (the sloping rock seawall) which will protect the reclamation and the path from the sea. This rock will likely be brought in from outside Wellington, because our region’s quarries don’t have the size and quality of rock needed to create a resilient coastal edge.

  The remaining material is general fill. There are a number of potential sources for this material.

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