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Valley Road, Mount Eden - Zebra crossing upgrade Valley Road, Mount Eden - Zebra crossing upgrade

Proposal status: Feedback closed 19 May 2020, last updated 12 November 2021

Reference number: CSFM1.3

Proposal update

In April 2020 we advised you that COVID-19 had a significant impact on AT and the wider Auckland Council whānau, and that funding had been constrained so we were not able to estimate a construction date.

Funding has now been secured for this project and construction is now planned to be completed in November 2021. Contractors will issue 48-hour notices to all affected residents prior to construction work.

In May 2020, we proposed changes in your area

To respond to a need for a safer crossing for pedestrians, in particular school children, we proposed to upgrade the zebra crossing outside Mount Eden Normal Primary School, on Valley Road in Mount Eden.

We proposed to:

  • Upgrade the existing crossing to a zebra crossing that is raised to a platform level with the footpath. This aims to slow driver speeds near the crossing.
  • Install a new pedestrian island. This is a raised platform in the middle of a road that makes it safer to cross a road by breaking up the journey.
  • Install a new footpath to connect the upgraded crossing to the existing footpath.
  • Add skid resistant road surfacing to help slow driver speeds before the crossing.
  • Remove the existing kerbs and reinstate the berm.
  • Extend and add broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) restrictions to either side of the crossing. This involves removing 12 parking spaces. The proposed broken yellow lines are required to improve visibility and safety of pedestrians near the zebra crossing.


This project is supported by the regional fuel tax fund.

Download the original proposal drawing for Valley Road (PDF 1.92MB).

Community Safety Fund

This proposal is supported by the Community Safety Fund which is a $20 million programme focused on tackling road safety concerns raised by the community. Auckland Transport is partnering with the Albert-Eden Local Board and Ward Councillors to deliver this project, which is part of more than 80 safety improvement projects across Auckland.

Mount Eden - 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 Valley Road 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).

Proposal outcome

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on AT and the wider Auckland Council whanau. As a result, Auckland Council is implementing an Emergency Budget which will reduce AT’s capital and operating budgets. This could mean this project is delayed. We will be in touch with you once we know more about how this project will be impacted by the current budget constraints. Once the budget is confirmed, the proposal will proceed with minor changes to the next stage of detailed planning before being implemented.

We have made minor changes to the design based on community feedback. Changes include reducing the number of on-street parking spaces lost on the east side of Valley Road due to the painting of broken yellow lines. As a result, 8 carparks will be removed instead of 12.

Download the updated proposal drawing for Valley Road (PDF 1.9MB)

Thank you to everyone who responded to our proposal and gave us the chance to better understand your community and concerns. A summary of your feedback and our responses to community questions is below.

Community feedback

  • Multiple concerns that parking removal will create tension in the community as residents attempt to park in limited remaining spaces, many with parking restrictions. We have used adjusted speed and sight line measurements east of the crossing in order to retain some existing parking. As a result, 8 carparks will be removed instead of 12. Restrictions on the west side of Valley Road will remain as proposed.
  • Suggestion to introduce residential parking permits in the area around Valley Road and the school. We are planning to propose a residential parking zone in this area and will consult with residents towards the end of 2020. That proposal will include this section of Valley Road and will be a Residents Exempt proposal NOT a Residents Only proposal. A Residents Exempt proposal is where residents purchase a parking permit that exempts the holder from the parking restriction.
  • Suggestion to upgrade and extend the zebra crossing facilities on Sherbourne Road where there is more street parking instead of at Valley Road as this will be less impact to residents when removing parking spaces. The focus of this proposal is to enhance the safety of the existing AT grade zebra crossing on Valley Rd. The existing crossing is in the preferred location for pedestrians crossing to the southern entrance into Mt Eden Primary School. We have used adjusted speed and sight line measurements east of the crossing in order to retain some existing parking. As a result, 8 carparks will be removed instead of 12. Restrictions on the west side of Valley Road will remain as proposed.
  • Multiple concerns about the introduction of broken yellow lines and reduction of on street parking causing access to property issues for trades people and caregivers. They will have to travel further to secure on-street parking. We have used adjusted speed and sight line measurements east of the crossing in order to retain some existing parking. As a result, 8 carparks will be removed instead of 12. Restrictions on the west side of Valley Road will remain as proposed.
  • Concern that the proposal is not compatible with current and future bus usage, e.g. electric buses. We have ensured that requirements for buses using Valley Road have been included in the proposal design.
  • Suggestion to make one street park a wheelchair permit holder park so access to disabled persons is not compromised. Mobility parking spaces are installed in and around town centres where there is high demand. Mobility parking space restrictions are not installed in residential areas as most property owners have sufficient off-street parking to accommodate their own parking requirements. In a residential area such as Mt Eden it is the responsibility of residents to ensure their property meets any special parking needs as on-street parking is for the use of everyone.
  • Suggestion to move the zebra crossing further down Valley Road to the bus stop location as there is a large school entrance way there. The focus of this proposal is to enhance the safety of the existing AT grade zebra crossing on Valley Road. The existing crossing is in the preferred location for pedestrians crossing to the southern entrance into Mt Eden Primary School. We have used adjusted speed and sight line measurements east of the crossing in order to retain some existing parking. As a result, 8 carparks will be removed instead of 12. Restrictions on the west side of Valley Road will remain as proposed.
  • Concern that vehicles will speed up after the crossing, creating safety issues further down the road and therefore need additional raised platforms. The focus of this proposal is to enhance the safety of the existing AT grade zebra crossing on Valley Road. The existing crossing is in the preferred location for pedestrians crossing to the southern entrance into Mt Eden Primary School. Auckland Transport has a plan to reduce unsafe speeds on Auckland’s roads. It targets areas prioritised by the level of safety risk and aims to reduce the incidence and impact of crashes. The initial roll out of speed reduction focuses on approximately 10% of our road network, including residential areas. It recognises that traffic-calming changes on one street have a flow-on effect on the surrounding neighbourhood. The plan will support drivers to travel at the appropriate speed and to the road conditions.
    Prioritisation and delivery are based on several factors, including the number of crashes, safety risk, traffic speed, land use and concerns raised by local residents and their elected representatives.
    While we do appreciate your concerns, Valley Rd has not been identified in the first group of areas within our Residential Speed Management programme as other areas in the region experience higher speeds and safety risk. More information, including the residential areas that will be prioritised for further investigation can be viewed on the Residential Speed Management Programme page on our website.
  • Multiple requests for more cycle infrastructure on Valley Road. Between 2014-2019 there has been 1 reported minor injury crash involving a cyclist. This indicates that Valley Road is operating relatively safely for cyclists.
    Mt Eden area has been identified as an area for future cycling infrastructure under the Connected Communities Programme. Consultation with Local Boards, residents, and businesses will form part of the design process to enable these projects to deliver an improved road safety environment which meets the needs of local residents and visitors. As these projects are currently at the early stages, no detailed timeframes on when consultation or construction will occur are available.
  • Suggestions to reduce the speed of traffic in the area, or specific section of Valley Road, by imposing a speed restriction around the entire school. There is an existing school zone on Valley Road within the vicinity of the school. During the school drop off and pick up times the speed limit is reduced to 40km/h within this zone.
  • Suggestion to restrict large vehicles such as tourist buses using Valley Road as these make it difficult for pedestrians to see the traffic. Valley Road is a designated District Arterial route and it is expected to carry high traffic volumes, including a significant volume of through traffic and heavy vehicles. This means it is appropriate for heavy vehicles to use Valley Rd as a thoroughfare. Therefore, we do not propose to limit, restrict or change the time of day that heavy vehicles can use Valley Road.
  • Concern that this proposal is not the best use of funds, as the crossing had been enhanced in the last 12 months. The recently enhanced crossing referred to is outside the school on Sherbourne Road not the one in Valley Road.
  • Queries if the skid resistant road surface will be recycled? The existing skid resistant surfacing will be maintained where possible. The proposed raised platform will overlap some surfacing therefore some will be removed as a result of the excavation works. It will be disposed of at a clean fill site. Clean fill sites usually recycle construction waste which can be reused elsewhere however, this is subject to meeting current specifications and standards.
    After the construction of the raised platform, we will likely need to extend the length of skid resistant surfacing by few metres to ensure we maintain approximately 20 metres of it on the approaches to the crossing. This will help maintain a shorter stopping distance for vehicles approaching the new zebra crossing.

Next steps

We will be in touch with you once we know more about how this project will be impacted by the current budget constraints. Once funding is secured, our contractors will send notices to residents or businesses affected by works 48 hours before the work starts.