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Walmsley Road, Mahunga Drive and Donnell Avenue, Mangere - Intersection improvements Walmsley Road, Mahunga Drive and Donnell Avenue, Mangere - Intersection improvements

Proposal status: Feedback closed 25 May 2020, last updated 28 June 2021.

Reference number: MIP1819-014

Proposal update

In May of 2020 we invited community feedback on our proposal Walmsley Road, Mahunga Drive and Donnell Avenue in Mangere. We are writing to let you know about delays to the construction timeframe of this project.

We advised you on 26 June 2020 that these works were scheduled to be constructed in the 2020/2021 financial year. Unfortunately, construction of this project did not go ahead due to the impact of COVID-19. This project is part of the Minor Safety Improvements programme and is dependent on the level of funding we receive from Auckland Council.

Next steps

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

We proposed changes in your area in May 2020

To improve safety for all people travelling through this intersection, we proposed intersection improvements at Walmsley Road, Mahunga Drive and Donnell Avenue in Mangere. Our proposal responded to safety concerns of the turning into Donnell Avenue from Walmsley Road which were raised by the local community and road users. Due to the oncoming traffic, there is poor visibility for drivers making this turn.

This project is supported by the regional fuel tax fund.

Changes on Walmsley Road and Donnell Avenue

  • Add a right turn bay on Walmsley Road for traffic turning right onto Donnell Avenue. This aims to avoid conflict between turning cars and oncoming traffic.
  • Add two new crossings with traffic lights on Donnell Avenue and the western side on Walmsley Road.
  • Update pedestrian crossings at the intersection with new kerb ramps so that people can move between the footpath and the road easily and safely.
  • Extend the broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) on Walmsley Road. This aims to prevent parked cars blocking the flow of traffic through the intersection.
  • Paint Advanced Stop Boxes (ASBs) on Walmsley Road. These are green boxes painted with a bicycle symbol where people on bicycles can wait before the lights. ASBs improve road safety by making cyclists more visible to people in vehicles.

Changes on Mahunga Drive

  • Install a raised zebra crossing (raised to a platform level with the footpath) on the slip lane from Walmsley Road to Mahunga Drive. This will improve road safety by slowing high traffic speeds near the crossing.
  • Add a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights and lay a skid-resistant road surface on the eastern slip lane onto Walmsley Road.
  • Update the two pedestrian islands. This involves replacing three palm trees with new planting.
  • Add road markings, an advanced stop box for bicycles, and signage to support the intersection improvements and road safety for drivers and cyclists.

Download the proposal drawing for Walmsley Road, Mahunga Drive and Donnell Avenue (PDF 1.8MB)

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. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.

We have made minor changes to the design based on community feedback. We will be adding an additional advance warning sign for the raised zebra crossing. This will be added during the detailed design phase.

We received a majority of support for this project, over two thirds of respondents supported the proposal. 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.

Feedback received

Safety

  • Respondents concern over the safety of cyclists as cycle lanes are not sufficient and there are many large vehicles using these roads.
    The intersection of Walmsley Road, Mahunga Drive, and Donnell Avenue is an arterial intersection connecting to an industrial area and the South Western Motorway SH20. Walmsley Road is also on the Freight Network. As such high numbers of heavy vehicles are expected through this intersection. For cyclist safety, advance cycle boxes are proposed as part of the intersection improvements to better serve cyclists at this intersection.
  • Respondents request for the slip lanes to be removed as pedestrians are not safe to cross them.
    The removal of the slip lanes would significantly affect capacity and potentially the nearby interchange road junction. Further, removing these lanes could result in increased delays on a major trucking route and arterial network, creating congestion for road users. The proposed pedestrian facilities at the slip lanes have been designed to achieve safe speeds thus improving pedestrian safety. The intersection improvements are around addressing an existing safety issue related to right turning vehicles into Donnell Avenue. They are not around an overhaul and complete redesign of the intersection.
  • Respondents request to impose rules for heavy vehicles on Walmsley Road after at least 10pm.
    The intersection of Walmsley Road/Mahunga Drive/Donnell Avenue is an arterial intersection connecting to an industrial area and the South Western Motorway SH20. Walmsley Road is also on the Freight Network. As such high numbers of heavy vehicles are expected through this intersection. Truck restrictions would therefore not be appropriate.
  • Respondents request for camera or other enforcement methods be put in place on Donnell Avenue to decrease incidents and speeding.
    Enforcement of the speed limit is the responsibility of the New Zealand Police. As for installing Speed/Safety cameras, the Police, in conjunction with the New Zealand Transport Agency’s (NZTA) Safety Team, and an independent transportation consultant, have a methodology for choosing sites which are suitable for Speed/Safety cameras.

Speed limits

  • Respondents concern about speeding on these roads and requests to reduce the speed limit in this area.
    The intersection improvements are around addressing an existing safety issue related to right turning vehicles into Donnell Avenue. Wider network issues around speeds will be considered through other programmes such as our Residential Speed Management Programme, High Risk Corridor Improvements and the Safe Speeds Programme.
  • Respondents concerns about motorcyclists speeding and/or racing on these roads at the weekend.
    If you notice any common trends of speeding vehicles at a particular time of day or an individual vehicle, we suggest that you contact the NZ Police. They are responsible for enforcement of speed limits and may choose to carry out targeted enforcement in the area.

Other issues

  • Respondents concern over loss of parking and excessive broken yellow lines.
    A total of 6 parking spaces will be removed on Walmsley Road and 3 parking spaces will be removed on Mahunga Drive. Due the arterial nature of this intersection, negligible parking demand has been observed in the vicinity of the intersection. The rest of the broken yellow lines are currently existing.
  • Respondents request for information on what new planting will replace the 3 palm trees.
    The replacement trees will be confirmed during the detailed design stage and will be liaising with Auckland Council Arborist. Consideration will be given to safety requirements in terms of visibility and maintenance.