Great North Road, Henderson – Pedestrian improvements Great North Road, Henderson – Pedestrian improvements

Proposal status: Feedback closed 20 November 2020. Last updated 09 March 2022.

Reference number: NOP2021-017

Proposal update 

In November 2020 we invited community feedback on our proposal to improve pedestrian safety by adding crossing facilities and upgrading existing pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Great North Road, Buscomb Avenue, and Mount Lebanon Lane.  

Construction has been scheduled to begin in April 2022. Our contractors will be in touch with affected residents before construction begins. 


Proposal outcome

In November 2020, we proposed to add new and upgrade existing pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Great North Road, Mount Lebanon Lane and Buscomb Avenue. After reviewing all the feedback, we are proceeding with the work as proposed.

What happens next

We anticipate the changes will be constructed between July 2021 and June 2022. However, 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. We will be in touch with you again next year when we know more about how the delivery of this project will be impacted by the current budget constraints.

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.

Pedestrian facilities

  • Concern about the increase in number of people needing to cross the road to access parks and Corban Estate due to the new apartment building being built on Buscomb Avenue.
    The new crossing on Great North Road is fully signalised and will provide a safe opportunity for pedestrians to cross. With the new crossing, the level of service for pedestrians will be improved.
  • Suggestion for a footbridge to be installed from St Michaels Church to Corban Estate Art Centre.
    Studies have shown that footbridges are under used by pedestrians, therefore it would not be a suitable option in this instance.

Parking restrictions

  • Request to install broken yellow lines on Buscomb Avenue to prevent parking on both sides of the road.
    Buscomb Avenue is not considered a narrow road and as such broken yellow lines are not required. We consider a road to be narrow if it is less than 6.8 metres wide. At a minimum, this width allows two metres worth of parking on each side of the road while retaining a 2.8 metre through lane, which emergency services have confirmed is the minimum space required for their vehicles to have access.
    While parked vehicles may reduce traffic to a single lane, they tend to discourage drivers from speeding. When vehicles are parked on both sides of the road it gives drivers the impression of a narrow road, encouraging greater care when driving.
  • Request to install parking restrictions on Buscomb Avenue near the intersection with Great North Road due to concerns the new development on Buscomb Avenue will increase traffic and make entering and exiting driveways more difficult.
    The new development should not affect parking in the area as it includes parking facilities for residents within the development.
    However, if vehicles are parking illegally within 6 metres of the intersection or 1 metre of the driveway blocking visibility, you can contact our call centre on 09 355 3553 for enforcement.

Traffic island improvements

  • Suggestion to install red skid-resistant surfacing and upgrade the traffic island outside 6 Swanson Road as there have been many near misses.
    We will explore this suggestion during the detailed design stage of this project.
  • Query regarding how to make a 'u-turn' coming down Swanson Road towards the intersection with Mount Lebanon Lane.
    You are not permitted to make a right turn from Swanson Road to Mount Lebanon Lane. The improvements being made as part of this project will not change this.
  • Request to improve the left turning slip lane from Great North Road on to Alderman Drive as high vehicles speeds make it unsafe for pedestrians to cross.
    We will explore this request during the detailed design stage of the project.
  • Request for judder bars (speed bumps) or more prominent signs near the corner of Winery Way and Mount Lebanon Lane to help reduce vehicle speeds.
    Installing more signs is unlikely to help with this issue. Signs have been installed previously and have not helped change driver behaviour.
    AT have adopted an area-based focused to address traffic speeds in residential areas through a Residential Speed Management (RSM) programme. Read more information. This programme targets the highest priority areas based on the level of safety risk measured for each road on our network. The areas that have been prioritised for changes are those that reduce the incidence and impact of crashes. Mount Lebanon Lane is not currently within a residential area which has been prioritised for delivery or construction.
  • Concern that the aerial image is out of date and that it does not show the apartment building which is being constructed on the corner of Great North Road and Buscomb Avenue.
    Although the building is not showing on aerial image, we are aware of the development and have considered the new apartment building during the design of this project.

We're proposing changes in your area

Aucklanders have told us that moving around our city safely and easily is important to them. We are proposing some improvements to your area.

To improve pedestrian safety and access in the area, we are proposing to add and upgrade pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Great North Road, Mount Lebanon Lane and Buscomb Avenue.

The changes we are proposing:

  • Remove the left turn slip lane from Great North Road to Mount Lebanon Lane by extending the footpath and creating a space for people to wait at the crossing.
  • Add a traffic island on Mount Lebanon Lane to channel the traffic and make it safer for turning vehicles.
  • Install a staggered pedestrian crossing with traffic lights across Great North Road. A pedestrian island, with a fence, will break up the journey halfway across the road and provide a safe space for people to wait.
  • Install a zebra crossing on a raised speed table at the exit of Buscomb Avenue. A speed table is a raised section of road with ramps on each side that aims to slow vehicles to a safe speed.
  • Install a speed table on the entrance of Buscomb Avenue.
  • Increase the size of the traffic island on Buscomb Avenue so there is more space for people to wait to cross the road.
  • 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 at each of the crossings.
  • Paint new road markings and install signs to support the new pedestrian crossings and the removal of the left turn slip lane.
  • Add broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times) around the new footpath to formalise no parking on the corner of the intersection. This will not remove any legal parking.

Download the proposal drawing for Great North Road (PDF 1.35MB) 

Auckland Transport would like to work with you to deliver safer roads in your neighbourhood. There is currently a lack of safe pedestrian crossing facilities at this busy intersection. Larger spaces for people to wait before crossing and the installation of traffic lights aims to improve safety for people crossing these roads at this intersection. It is our goal that everyone; drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and our most vulnerable, should be able to move around this area as safely and efficiently as possible.

This proposal is supported by the Auckland regional fuel tax.

What happens next

  • We’ll listen to all the feedback we receive, and then decide the best way to move forward.
  • Auckland Council is implementing an Emergency Budget which will reduce 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.

Henderson: 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 Great North 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).