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Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road, Piha – Broken yellow lines Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road, Piha – Broken yellow lines

Proposal status: Feedback closed 7 March 2022

Reference number: BYL-551

Proposal update

Instead of applying parking restrictions overnight from 7pm to 6am, we are now planning to prohibit parking outside of the gate to the Mercer Bay Loop Track carpark by painting broken yellow lines (no stopping at any time).

This is in response to further feedback from residents and a Waitākere Ranges Local Board member who were concerned allowing day-time parking may cause confusion and result in people parking in the area after the gates are closed, which would make it difficult to turn around on Log Race Road.

Download the updated proposal drawing for Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road (PDF 804KB)

Proposal outcome

In February 2022, we proposed changes to improve safety and access for residents and visitors along Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road in Piha. These changes are in response to concerns raised by residents and the Waitākere Local Board. After reviewing all the feedback, we will be proceeding with some changes suggested by the community:

  • Apply no parking or stopping restrictions from 7pm to 6am to the area outside of the gate on Log Race Road. When the gate is closed vehicles will still be able to turn around, and painting parking spaces will allow parking during the day when the end of Log Race Road is available for turning around.
  • Move the broken yellow lines to the north side of the road where the two roads meet between 3 Log Race Road and 43 Te Ahuahu Road so they are on the inside of the bend.

Download the updated drawing for Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road (PDF 836KB)

What happens next

We anticipate the changes will be made in July 2022.

Community feedback

Thank you for adding your voice to this proposal. Your local knowledge has helped us improve our proposal and make this decision for your neighbourhood. We heard a range of suggestions and opinions from the community. Many residents told us that the current on-street parking behaviour often made accessing their homes difficult. We received a number of requests for additional broken yellow lines along Log Race and Te Ahuahu Roads, as well as suggestions for the Mercer Bay Loop Track parking area at the end of Log Race Road.

Several respondents told us that the period of high parking demand in early summer from 2021 to 2022 was the result of special circumstances due to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions loosening and some media coverage about the nearby tracks – however the opinion of these respondents was split about whether the proposed parking restrictions should still go ahead, with some telling us the restrictions were no longer necessary and others that the restrictions are still needed so the road will remain clear in the future for emergency services and rubbish trucks.

The following is a summary of the comments and queries we received, and our responses to them.

  • Suggestion that no angled parking is allowed in the area outside of the Mercer Bay Loop Track gates as it needs to remain clear for turning around when the track gates are closed.
    Thank you to those who provided this feedback and bringing this to our attention. We have changed our plans and will now formalise the parking with “no stopping” parking restrictions between 7pm and 6am. When the gate is closed, this area can be used as a turning circle.
  • Suggestion that the busy period was short-lived because of lockdown, so broken yellow lines should not be added.
    While we understand that the ending of the lockdown increased the parking demand, the broken yellow lines are still recommended by our Parking Design team to prevent this same problem reoccurring in future. Log Lace Road and Te Ahuahu Road are both narrow roads and vehicles parking on both sides of the road can block access if parked opposite each other.
  • Suggestion that broken yellow lines are not painted, and instead white broken lines or no parking signs are installed to maintain the existing aesthetic of the road.
    When installing a parking restriction, Auckland Transport has to ensure that it complies with the Traffic Control Devices 2004 (TCD) Land Transport Rule. This means that for the restrictions to be legal, the broken lines need to be painted in yellow. While signs could be installed, residents have told us that these have more of a visual impact and are generally disliked. Additionally, to ensure that Te Ahuahu Road and Log Race Road are correctly signposted we would be required to install 24 signs to show where the no stopping restrictions start and finish on each section.
  • Suggestion that the planned broken yellow lines are not sufficient to allow service and emergency vehicles through.
    As Log Lace Road is more than 5m wide, it should be able to accommodate parking on one side while still allowing at least a 2.5m traffic lane for vehicle to pass through. As Te Ahuahu Road is slightly wider, and there is more opportunity to park slightly off the roadway, the broken yellow lines along here should allow passing areas for vehicles to pass through.
  • Suggestion that a 52-week survey is done on parking and traffic trends along these roads before changes are made.
    Unfortunately Auckland Transport does not have the resources to monitor this area over a 52-week period. One of the primary objectives of a road is to help move around people and goods, and to allow access to properties. On-street parking can allowed where it does not cause an issue. The access issues we are aiming to address with this project are not uncommon in the Waitakere Ranges and AT felt it was necessary to implement some restrictions to prevent access issues in future.
  • Concern that the alternating broken yellow lines will cause cars to slalom through and make it difficult to see the many children that ride their bikes along Te Ahuahu Road and Log Race Road. Suggestion to put broken yellow lines along one side of the road through narrow sections of the road.
    The purpose of the staggered arrangement is to encourage lower traffic speeds as cars have to be aware and actively drive down the narrow road with cars parking on alternating sides. Placing parking restrictions on one side can encourage higher traffic speeds as drivers might have the impression of an open road.
  • Concern that many residents have steep driveways that cannot be concreted, so removing parking from the street will result in a total loss of parking.
    The purpose of this proposal is to ensure that access along the road isn’t blocked by vehicles parking opposite each other. Due to the width of Log Race and Te Ahuahu Roads it is not possible to park on both sides without obstructing the road and so even though there will be broken yellow lines, there shouldn’t be an overall loss of opportunities to park.

Requests for additional broken yellow lines

  • Suggestion to paint broken yellow lines along both sides of both roads as any parking along the narrow roads is dangerous.
    Roads that are more than 5m wide like Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road are wide enough to accommodate parking on one side without blocking access along the road. The purpose of this proposal is to ensure residents, visitors, emergency vehicles, and rubbish trucks can safely and easily access all properties along these roads whilst still retaining as much on-street parking as possible for people to use.
  • Suggestion to extend broken yellow lines over the hill on Te Ahuahu Road.
    Thank you for your feedback. Te Ahuahu is a local road with low traffic volumes where there is lower potential for accidents, so at this stage AT does not feel it is necessary to extend the parking restrictions over both sides of the road in this area.
  • Suggestion to paint broken yellow lines along both sides of Te Ahuahu Road from 11 Te Ahuahu Road to the intersection with Piha Road.
    Te Ahuahu Road does have more opportunities to park partly off the roadway because of the wider verges at the sides of the road so at this point in time we do not feel that extending the broken yellow lines to the end of the road is needed.
  • Suggestion for broken yellow lines on both sides of the road where Te Ahuahu Road and Log Race Road meet.
    A minimum road width of 2.8m is required to ensure access for emergency vehicles. Removing parking on one side of Te Ahuahu and Log Race Road still leaves 3.6m and 3.3m traffic lanes respectively. Both roads are local roads with a low number of cars traveling on them each day, so there is a relatively low likelihood of an accident. We aim to balance the parking needs with maintaining access – in this case, we can have both while allowing parking on one side of the road.
  • Suggestion to paint broken yellow lines at driveway entrances to remind people to keep property access clear.
    Installing broken yellow lines outside vehicle entrances are not required as the Land Transport Road User Rule 2004 already makes it an offence to obstruct a vehicle entrance. Broken yellow lines are a road safety control and the overuse of broken yellow lines, particularly where they are not strictly necessary, decreases their impact and may inadvertently send the message to motorists that they may park over driveways that do not have such markings in place. If someone has parked within 1m of your driveway, please call (09) 355 3553 to request enforcement.
  • Suggestion to paint broken yellow lines on both sides of Te Ahuahu Road, with a few "residents only" parking spaces.
    Auckland Transport no longer proposes ‘residents only’ parking restrictions. These were stopped in 2007 as it reserves the road, which is a public asset, for the use of an individual which is not permitted. While there are still some residents-only spaces across Auckland, these schemes are being phased out.
  • Request for broken yellow lines outside 1 and 3 Log Race Road for visibility reasons.
    Thank you for your feedback. We have changed the proposal slightly so that the broken yellow lines will be on the inside of the bend outside number 1 and 3 Log Race Road. This will improve visibility for drivers travelling around the bend, and for drivers exiting nearby driveways.=

Other requests

  • Request that the stormwater ditches are covered to make a footpath as there are many school-age children living on the street who walk to and from the bus stop.
    Log Race Road has been added to the New Footpath Prioritisation list. The new footpath candidate list is prioritised and your request currently falls outside the top-ranking footpaths for investigation, however we will review requests every six months. Footpaths are scored based on (1) the proximity to schools, (2) public transport and community facilities, (3) the number of vehicles that use the road and their speeds, and (4) if there are already footpaths nearby or on the other side of the road (areas with no footpaths score higher).

    We have around 800 requests on our list and we must prioritise the work as at present we can only fund the top 10-15 requests each year. This means these roads are not likely to be constructed in the near future, however the request will stay on the list until it prioritises high enough compared to other requests.
  • Suggestion to have parking compliance officers visit the road, otherwise compliance will be very low.
    As these roads are outside of usual parking patrol areas, we often rely on residents to help be our eyes and contact us when vehicles are parked illegally. Our enforcement team are aware of these changes and have been included through the consultation process. If a vehicle is parked illegally, please call (09) 355 3553 to request enforcement.
  • Suggestion that the road is widened as there is berm space on the south side of the road.
    We would not be able to justify widening this road to accommodate parking on both sides of the road as the cost would be high and the ultimate purpose of roads is to help people and goods move around our region.

Waitākere Ranges Regional Park parking improvement requests

  • Suggestion to pave the section of Log Race Road leading up to Mercer Bay Loop Track Carpark so cars can be parked along this section without any homes nearby.
    The section of Log Race Road leading up to the Mercer Bay Loop Track car park is very narrow and there would not be enough space to accommodate parking along it.
  • Request that AT liaises with Auckland Council to improve parking in the Mercer Bay Loop Track parking lot.
    The parking area at the end of Log Race Road is outside of the road reserve and managed by Auckland Council. We will relay your comments to the Parks, Recreation, and Sports team at Council.
  • Request that AT works with Auckland Council to removal the centre island at the radar and more formal parking developed.
  • Suggestion to create more parking for track visitors.
    Unfortunately in the current economic climate AT does not have resources available to create new parking areas.
  • Suggestion to open more tracks in the Waitākere Ranges.
  • Suggestion that clear signage is placed at the Mercer Bay Loop Track gate that says there is a parking lot at the end of the unsealed road.
    These suggestions would need to be directed to Auckland Council who are responsible for the tracks in this area. We will pass along these suggestions on to the Parks, Recreation, and Sports team at Council – you can also submit an enquiry here. You can find more information about the track closures and kauri dieback disease on the Auckland Council webpage here.

We're proposing improvements in your area

After receiving requests from multiple residents as well as the Waitākere Ranges Local Board, we are proposing some changes to parking along Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road to improve safety and access for residents and visitors.

We are proposing to:

  • Paint broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times parking restrictions) on alternating sides along the length of Log Race Road.
  • Paint broken yellow lines along sections of Te Ahuahu Road to ensure there are passing opportunities along the road.
  • Paint angled parking spaces at the end of Log Race Road, formalising three parking spaces.

Download the proposal drawing for Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road

Residents have told us they’ve been unable to access their homes because of cars parking along the narrow roads. Because Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road are less than six metres wide, parked cars have caused traffic to build up, even delaying emergency services.

Painted parking restrictions would help to keep the road clear so residents and emergency services can safely access the properties along Log Race and Te Ahuahu Roads. The broken yellow lines would remind visitors that cars can only be safely parked on one side of the road and encourage parking on alternating sides of the road so access to homes and the popular walking tracks nearby can be maintained.

Give your feedback for Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu Road

What happens next

  • We’ll consider all the feedback we receive, and then decide the best way to move forward.
  • 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.

Piha: 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 Log Race Road and Te Ahuahu 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).