Mahurangi East Road, Snells Beach - Pedestrian improvements Mahurangi East Road, Snells Beach - Pedestrian improvements

Proposal status: Feedback closed 3 July 2020, last updated 28 April 2021.

Reference number: RSU1920-161

Proposal update

We advised you in August 2020 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 mid-June 2021. Contractors will issue 48-hour notices to all affected residents prior to construction work. 

Next steps

Contractors will issue 48-hour notices to all affected residents prior to construction taking place. 

In June 2020, we proposed changes in your area

To make the pedestrian crossing at 396 Mahurangi East Road safer, we proposed to upgrade the existing zebra crossing to a raised zebra crossing. The proposal responded to requests from the community and Rodney Local Board to improve safety for children crossing a busy main road. The changes aim to make this crossing point safer for people to use, particularly school children and pedestrians.

Changes proposed at 401 Mahurangi East Road

Upgrade the current zebra crossing to a raised zebra crossing on a Swedish speed table. This is a raised speed table with only one sharp ramp and a more gentle exit to give a smoother ride for vehicles and passengers. This aims to help reduce driver speeds to make the road safer for people crossing.
Install new traffic islands, signs and lighting to improve visibility of the crossing for approaching drivers.
Repair the footpath at the old crossing point to keep the surface level and safe for people walking.
Install high friction road surfacing on the approaches to the crossing to help reduce driver speed.
Upgrade the road and bus stop markings to provide clear entry into the bus stops and install broken yellow lines (No stopping at all times) to improve visibility of the crossing. Approximately 20 car parking spaces will be removed in total.

Download the proposal drawing for Mahurangi East Road (PDF 526KB)

If you would like to post in your feedback, download and print our feedback form template, fill in your details and send it freepost using the address details on the form.

Proposal outcome

The proposed changes will proceed 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.

Auckland Council has implemented an Emergency Budget which has reduced AT’s capital and operating budgets. Although the project has not yet been allocated funding, we have sought feedback at this time so that we can be prepared to progress with the works when the funding is given the go ahead.

A summary of your feedback and our responses to community questions is below.

Community feedback

There was strong community support for this proposal and the safety benefits it would bring for the many school children crossing at this point to access the bus stops and walking to and from the local schools.
We appreciate the support for this pedestrian crossing upgrade and hope all members of the community will benefit from the improved safety at this location.
Respondents were concerned at the reduction of on-street parking for visitors to the church and local properties near the crossing.
The removal of parking on Mahurangi East Road is related to the installation of the raised zebra crossing and formalising the existing bus stops. The removal of parking provides visibility for pedestrians so that they can use the crossing safely at all times and allows buses to manoeuvre in and out of the bus stops safely. The number of parking spaces removed relates to the crossing design requirements to provide clear visibility on this section of road.
Respondents suggested that the broken yellow lines are time limited to a clear way 7am to 10am and 2pm to 4pm.
We acknowledge that there will be some parking loss and have reviewed the design to minimise the loss. In addition, we consider that there are enough on street parking spaces available in the general area for visitors. Therefore, we are unable to accommodate your request for part time parking restrictions.
Respondents requested more "School" traffic signs in the area and more warning signs about the crossing for drivers coming down the hill travelling north.
The existing school and pedestrian crossing signs have been reviewed as part of the project design. The advance warning sign notifications for the school and the pedestrian crossing are already provided in standard locations before the crossings in the area. All the new or relocated signs that are required for the proposed work are designed to meet the latest Auckland Transport design standards.
Respondents requested that the trees which cover one side of the street near the lighting poles are trimmed to improve the function of the lighting and therefore visibility of the crossing. They also requested lighting and signs on both sides of the crossing and near the bus stop, to make it safer.
A streetlight review will be undertaken during the detailed design phase of this project, which is the next stage prior to construction. The streetlight review will identify any lighting requirements such as trimming trees to improve the function of the lighting pole and therefore assist with visibility of the crossing for all road users.
A respondent was concerned that the crossing and the bus stop on the northbound lane are too close together. At peak times in the morning there can be up to 20 to 30 pupils waiting to get on the school bus which takes a while to happen. Because there is no place for the bus to get off the road, it is blocked to traffic going north into Snells Beach. Drivers need to be extra vigilant looking for traffic coming from the opposite side, the students getting on the bus and the pedestrian walkway.
The proposed crossing location has been moved away from the existing bus stop on the northbound traffic lane, so a change is not required. The position of the bus stop is considered safe for the operation of the crossing and encourages slower speeds when overtaking a bus. Moving the bus stop further away from the crossing would make it less likely that bus passengers would use it.
The respondent suggested to make space for the bus stop off the road or move it further away from the crossing to keep traffic moving when a bus is stopped.
The available traffic lane width together with the flush median is wide enough to allow vehicles to overtake the parked bus safely without encroaching into the opposing traffic lane. In addition, no overtaking road markings are included in the design so traffic on the opposite side of the road stays in the correct lane near the bus stops.
Respondent was concerned that a raised crossing would make that section of road challenging for cars towing boats and that a raised crossing creates a stop point on the road that is more dangerous than a crossing.
The design of the raised platform is considered appropriate for all vehicles including buses, trucks and cars towing a trailer or boat. A Swedish table platform will be used in this location and has only one sharp ramp on the entry with a gradual, more gentle slope on the exit. The detailed design for this project will include the appropriate warning signs and road markings that will alert road users in advance to the presence of the platform. This also aims to slow drivers down to a safe speed around the school.
Respondents were concerned about excess road noise being created by the high friction road surface.
High friction surfaces are in place for the crossing currently. We consider the noise impacts of the proposal to be minor or similar to the existing operation on this section of road.
Respondent suggested to move the crossing further down the road with better warning signs.
Part of the proposal design phase included on-site observations at this location. We consider that a crossing location further down the road is inappropriate as it would not align with the location close to the bus stops where most people want to cross this section of Mahurangi Road.
Respondents requested raised pedestrian crossings and speed-calming measures in several other locations:
- 330 Mahurangi East Road near the corner of Dalton Crescent.
- 250 Mahurangi East Road at Snells Beach Warehouse.
- 296 Mahurangi East Road near the tennis club.
- Opposite Kauri Crescent in Snells Beach outside the fire department.
  These sites are not included in the current project but will be considered along with other sites for future projects. Respondents have been contacted and the requests for safety improvements logged in the request management system for future consideration.