Beach Road, Campbells Bay - Raised zebra crossing Beach Road, Campbells Bay - Raised zebra crossing
Proposal status: Feedback closed 17 June 2020, last updated 14 April 2021.
Reference number: RSU1920-146
Proposal update 14 April 2021
In June 2020, we invited community feedback on our proposal upgrade an existing crossing to a Swedish-style raised zebra crossing at 301 Beach Road in Campbells Bay. We are writing to let you know about an update to the construction timeframe of this project.
Project description
We proposed to:
- Upgrade the existing crossing to a Swedish-style raised zebra crossing. This crossing will be raised to a platform level with the footpath and is expected to improve safety by slowing high traffic speeds on the approach to the crossing. A Swedish table has a gentler exit which gives a smoother ride for vehicles and passengers.
- Extend existing broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) to make sure that parked cars do not block the view of the crossing and pedestrians or force cars onto the painted median as they approach the crossing. This involves removing 4 car parking spaces.
- Install new road markings and signage.
- Install pedestrian islands.
- Install tactile pavers to assist visually impaired pedestrians using the crossing and reconstruct part of the footpath to improve access onto the crossing.
Updates to the construction timeframe
In September 2020 we advised you that COVID-19 had impacted our funding and we were not able to estimate a construction date. Funding has now been secured for this project and construction is now planned to begin in April/May 2021. Contractors will issue 48-hour notices to all affected residents prior to construction work.
In June 2020, we proposed changes in your area
To improve safety for people walking and cycling in the area, we proposed to upgrade the pedestrian crossing to a Swedish-style raised zebra crossing at 301 Beach Road in Campbells Bay.
Changes proposed on Beach Road
- Upgrade the pedestrian crossing to a Swedish-style raised zebra crossing. This crossing will be raised to a platform level with the footpath and is expected to improve safety by slowing high traffic speeds on the approach to the crossing. A Swedish table has only one sharp ramp and a gentler exit which gives a smoother ride for vehicles and passengers.
- Extend existing broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) to make sure that parked cars do not block the view of the crossing and pedestrians or force cars onto the painted median as they approach the crossing. This involves removing 4 car parking spaces.
- Install new road markings and signage to make sure the crossings can be clearly seen by approaching drivers.
- Install pedestrian islands that will make it safer for people walking by reducing the crossing distance.
- Install tactile pavers to assist visually impaired pedestrians using the crossing and reconstruct part of the footpath to improve access onto the crossing.
This location was identified through road safety investigations and it is expected that the raised zebra crossing will improve road pedestrian safety by slowing approaching traffic and prioritising pedestrians.
This proposal is part of a region wide pedestrian improvement programme which aims to improve safety at pedestrian crossings in high-risk locations. Read more about this programme.
This project is supported by the regional fuel tax fund.
Download the proposal drawing for Beach Road (PDF 1.7MB)
Campbells Bay: 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 Beach 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 when we know more about how this project will be impacted by the current budget constraints. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.
Once the budget is confirmed, the proposal will proceed without changes to the next stage of detailed planning before being constructed.
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
- Query behind rationale for this project and why it needs to be raised The raised table is designed to slow vehicles to approximately 30km/h. This greatly reduces the likelihood of serious injury or death for pedestrians if a collision occurs at the crossing.
- Concern that there is not a high enough level of pedestrian traffic to justify the upgrade The existing use of the crossing is enough to justify retaining a zebra crossing and therefore the raised table treatment is justified to make the crossing safe.
- Suggestion to move the crossing closer to the dairy where there is greater demand to cross the road The existing crossing location is well located to serve the nearby bus stops, the day-care, and the beach access via Huntly Road. Therefore, no change to the location is proposed.
- Concern about an increase in congestion/disruption to traffic flow While there will be some localised slowing of vehicles through the crossing area, we do not expect the volume of traffic using this road will result in any significant congestion.
- Concern congestion will make it difficult to access Beach Road from Park Rise The slower speed of vehicles travelling past Park Rise will make it safer to turn out of Park Rise onto Beach Road.
- Concern about increased emissions, air and noise pollution due to vehicles needing to decelerate and accelerate The emission impacts are very minor. Weighted against these are significant safety benefits for people using the crossing. There may also be some potential emissions savings through providing a more walkable environment as people may replace existing vehicle trips with walking.
Noise impacts are expected to be minor. There is likely to be some reduction in tyre noise as vehicles will be travelling slower. There could potentially be some increase in braking and engine noise, although this will depend on driver behaviour and how hard they brake/accelerate. - Concern that there is not enough lighting which makes it dangerous for cyclists Lighting of the crossing will be reviewed as part of the detailed design work and upgraded as part of the project if deemed to be below standard.
- Concern about cost and query about construction date While we are progressing to detailed design and eventual construction of the project, issues around cost and construction timing will need to be considered in light of the impact of Covid-19 on our budgets.
- Query how projects are prioritised Upgrading of existing pedestrian crossings is prioritised based on crash risk. This includes actual data (Police reported crashes occurring at the crossing) and predictive risk (assessment of risk based on traffic volumes and numbers of pedestrians using the crossing).
- Request to widen footpath on the north eastern side of the road Localised widening of the footpath will be provided next to the crossing to make it easier for pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters to turn on and off the crossing. However, widening the footpath beyond the immediate surroundings of the crossing is not included within this project.
- Request to make the crossing at Campbells Bay Primary on Aberdeen Road a raised zebra crossing & a request for traffic improvements on Channel View Road due to blind bends and trees impairing vision These items fall outside the scope of this project but will be investigated and considered for our future work programmes.
Next steps
We will be in touch with you when we know more about how this project will be impacted by the current budget constraints.
Our contractors will send notices to affected residents 48-hours prior to construction starting.