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Cowan Street, Ponsonby - Broken yellow lines Cowan Street, Ponsonby - Broken yellow lines

Proposal status: Feedback closed 28 May 2020, last updated 22 June 2020.

Reference number: BYL-449

In May 2020, we proposed changes in your area 

To reduce the number of vehicles blocking access to the road by being parked next to chicanes (speed calming bends in the road), we proposed the installation of broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) outside of 25 Cowan Street, Ponsonby. The broken yellow lines will be 5 metres long and current parking lines will be relocated to 1 metre from the existing driveway at 25 Cowan Street. This will allow for a 5 metre parking bay. This proposal involves the removal of one parking space.

Our proposal responded to concerns from residents regarding parked vehicles outside 25 Cowan Street which block the passage of cars on this road. The chicanes on Cowan Street mean that only one vehicle can pass through at a time. Drivers often found it difficult to pass through the bend safely when vehicles are parked on both sides. These broken yellow lines aim to allow drivers to pass by more easily, including waste collection and emergency service vehicles.

Download the original proposal drawing for Cowan Street (PDF 235KB)

July 2020 - Proposal update

In May 2020, we invited community feedback on our proposal for the installation of broken yellow lines outside Number 25 Cowan Street, Ponsonby. The aim of this proposal was to reduce the number of vehicles blocking access to the road by parking next to chicanes and blocking access to the road.

This proposal is going ahead, but with some changes to the design.

Instead of broken yellow lines being installed outside number 25 Cowan Street, Ponsonby, we will instead install ‘hockey stick’ parking lines to prevent vehicles from blocking access through the chicane. These changes are in response to feedback received, therefore we have adapted the design of this proposal to avoid complete parking removal.

Download the updated proposal drawing for Cowan Street (PDF 252KB)

Ponsonby: Safe with us

Auckland Transport cares for your safety. We want to make our roads safe for everyone, people walking and cycling, especially for our kids and senior citizens and people driving. Projects like this one around Cowan Street are another step towards our goal of achieving no deaths or serious injuries on our roads. We are guided by the Vision Zero approach to transport safety, which prioritises human safety over other measures (like minor time saving).

Feedback received

  • Respondents are supportive of the proposal and feel that the broken yellow lines would make parking more consistent with other chicanes in the area.
    Thank you for your comments.
  • Request for the chicane to be shortened or removed rather than restrict the parking as there is insufficient off-street parking on this road. Request to explore all other options first before proceeding.
    The shortening of the chicanes have been assessed. Unfortunately, the length of the chicanes cannot be altered. They were designed to this length to slow down vehicles and improve safety of pedestrians and vehicles along Cowan Street. Any changes to the length of the chicanes will alter the speeds of vehicles. Other options were explored, but this addition of broken yellow lines are the most suitable to address the accessibility issue on Cowan Street.
  • Query regarding resident complaint as they say they have never seen this street blocked in over ten years of living there. Request for evidence of proof of this street being blocked.
    This proposal was a response to a resident complaint about the lack of access through the chicanes due to parked vehicles. Please refer to the updated drawing above which shows that the parking bays outside of 25 Cowan Street are not clearly marked, which means that there is the risk of vehicles parking too close to the entrance of the chicane. If a larger vehicle were to park outside of 25 Cowan Street, it would cause an issue for vehicles trying to pass through the chicane.

Next steps

These works are planned between 2020-21, but we will let you know if there are further changes or delays. Our contractors will send notices to affected residents 48-hours prior to construction starting.