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Graeme Avenue, Mangere East – Raised Zebra crossing Graeme Avenue, Mangere East – Raised Zebra crossing

Proposal status: Feedback closed 1 March 2021. Last updated 14 April 2021.

Reference number: RSU1819-036B

Proposal outcome

In February 2021, we proposed changes to improve pedestrian safety on Graeme Avenue in Māngere East, particularly for school children in the area, by upgrading the existing zebra crossing to a raised zebra crossing. After reviewing all the feedback, we are proceeding with the work as proposed. These works will help support our Vision Zero goal.

What happens next

We anticipate construction to begin before June 2021. We will be in touch with local residents prior to any construction taking place.

Community Feedback

Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge.  A summary of your feedback and our responses to community questions is below.

  • Suggestion that pedestrian crossing should remain in existing location.
    The option of installing a raised zebra crossing at its existing location was investigated, but it was decided this was not possible due to limited space available between the nearby driveways.
  • Suggestions that the crossing is moved farther north up Graeme Avenue, away from Papatoetoe North School gates as students might rush across the street and ignore the streetlight.
    Moving the crossing farther north along Graeme Avenue was considered, but the location was not preferred as it would worsen visibility for the drivers travelling north on Graeme Avenue, which would make the crossing less safe for pedestrians. In addition, moving the crossing up would require additional parking spaces to be removed compared to the proposed crossing location. The existing fence between the school gate and the road will remain in place to help guide the students to cross the road at the proposed crossing.
  • Suggestion to install a foot-operated crosswalk to avoid common touch points because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    The proposed pedestrian crossing facility is a raised zebra crossing and not a signal-controlled facility. Therefore, pedestrians do not need to press a button to trigger any signal to cross the road.
  • Suggestion that the new broken yellow lines are part of the proposal to create ticket revenue for Auckland Council.
    The proposed broken yellow lines are required to make sure approaching drivers and the pedestrians who are waiting to cross at the crossing location are able to see one another. This is to make the drivers aware of the crossing in advance, so they have time to slow down prior to arriving at the raised crossing or stop at the crossing if needed.

School pick up/drop off concerns

  • Concern that the broken yellow lines will make parents drop their children off farther from the school, meaning more students will have to cross Graeme Avenue, which increases safety risk.
    The proposed broken yellow lines are required to make sure approaching drivers and the pedestrians who are waiting to cross at the crossing location are able to see one another. The proposed raised zebra crossing will reduce vehicle speeds at/near the crossing location and encourage pedestrians to utilise the crossing facility to cross the road safely.
  • Concern that the proposed extension of the broken yellow lines will reduce parking during school pick up/drop off times when more parking is needed.
    The proposed broken yellow lines are required to make sure approaching drivers and the pedestrians who are waiting to cross at the crossing location are able to see one another. While we acknowledge that the loss of these parking spaces will push parking slightly farther away from the school gate we believe that there is sufficient parking available farther along Graeme Avenue and on side streets to meet the demand.
  • Suggestion that the grass berm is replaced by a wider footpath north of the crossing along Papatoetoe School grounds.
    We will replace the grass berm between the school gate and the crossing with a wider footpath as planned in the proposal.
  • Suggestion that the grass berm is replaced by an inlet which can be used as a pick up/drop off waiting space (similar to the inlet outside of Kedgley Intermediate School). 
    A drop off and pick-up area outside the school is not recommended as this can lead to increased traffic congestion outside the school gate around school start and finish times which would increase the safety risk in the area. It would also discourage active travel modes, like walking or biking, for students. Because of these issues installing a pickup/drop off outside the school will not be considered at this point in time. 
  • Several concerns that drivers speed along Graeme Avenue and may miss the crossing because of the curve of the street and reduced visibility due to cars parked on Graeme Avenue.
    The proposed raised table will help to lower the speeds at / near the crossing location. The existing broken yellow lines have been assessed and extended to ensure adequate visibility is provided between approaching drivers and the crossing.

Other feedback from the neighbourhood

  • Multiple suggestions that judder bars are installed to slow drivers on Graeme Avenue.
    Thank you for your feedback. The new raised zebra crossing should help with reducing speeds on Graeme Avenue near the crossing location. We are currently investigating further speed reduction measures along Graeme Avenue. This is a separate project and we will seek the community feedback again in due course.
  • Suggests signalisation of the Buckland Rd and Graeme Avenue intersection because it is dangerous for students of the local schools.
    We are currently investigating the need for road safety improvements at this intersection for pedestrians as a separate project. All options that provide safer pedestrian crossing facility will be considered, including signals as suggested. We will seek feedback from the community again after the investigation is completed and funding is allocated to the project.
  • Suggests more raised table crossings in the neighbourhood, e.g., on Gray Avenue, to promote walking in the area.
    Thank you for your feedback. AT is always looking for improving safety for pedestrians walking around the Auckland region. Your suggestion will be considered for the future projects. Currently further speed calming measures in the neighbourhood area are under investigation, e.g. on Hain Avenue and Earlsworth Road. These are separate projects and AT will seek the community feedback again in due course.

We're proposing improvements in your area

We want to improve the safety of people crossing the road outside Papatoetoe North School, in particular school children, by relocating and upgrading the existing zebra crossing to a raised zebra crossing.

In November 2018 we asked for feedback on a similar proposal. We advised in April 2019 that as a result of stormwater requirements we would redesign and consult with the community again. The redesign process took longer than anticipated and was further delayed due to the impact of COVID-19.

The changes we are proposing:

  • Upgrade the existing zebra crossing to a zebra crossing that is raised to a platform level with the footpath and relocate it further north, closer to the school entrance
  • Add new catchpits and connections to the stormwater system
  • Reconstruct the footpath on both sides of the new crossing
  • Install tactile pavers which are yellow guidance paving markers to help visually impaired people to find their way to the crossing and safely cross the road
  • Install new signs and streetlights
  • Remove and repaint road markings
  • Remove a non-native tree outside 10 Graeme Avenue
  • Reinstate the grass berm at the current crossing location
  • Repaint the broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) outside 10 Graeme Avenue and extend the broken yellow lines outside Papatoetoe North School. This will remove 5 parking spaces.

From our investigations we have identified that the crossing outside Papatoetoe North School is a high risk location for pedestrian safety. Safety around schools is important to us and by making these changes we aim to slow the speed of approaching drivers and make the crossing more visible. The existing crossing is located partially on a curve in the road and by relocating the crossing further north we aim to improve the safety of people crossing, in particular school children.

It is also necessary for us to remove some street parking to make sure that drivers and people wanting to cross the road are able to see each other clearly. We understand removing parking can be inconvenient, so we have minimised the removal of parking whilst maintaining clear visibility.

Download the proposal drawing for Graeme Avenue (PDF 1.2MB) 

What happens next

  • We’ll listen to all the feedback we receive, and then decide the best way to move forward.
  • Auckland Council has implemented an Emergency Budget which has reduced AT’s capital and operating budgets. We are seeking feedback now so that we can be prepared once the funding for this project is given the go ahead.
  • We’ll post the outcome of this proposal and a summary of community feedback on this webpage.
  • We can email you the proposal outcome as soon as it’s ready – just select that option when you fill in the survey.

More information

This proposal is supported by the Auckland regional fuel tax.

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 the original proposal from November 2018 on https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/region-wide-pedestrian-crossing-improvements-2018/.

Mangere East: 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 Graeme Avenue 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).