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Parrs Cross Road and Bruce McLaren Road, Henderson – Intersection improvements Parrs Cross Road and Bruce McLaren Road, Henderson – Intersection improvements

Proposal status: Feedback closed 22 October 2020. Last updated 18 January 2021.

Reference number: NOP2021-018

Proposal outcome

In October 2020, we proposed to add a roundabout and pedestrian crossings at the Parrs Cross Road and Bruce McLaren Road intersection to improve safety and efficiency for all road users. 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. The proposal received mixed feedback with some concerns raised by respondents. A summary of your feedback and our responses to community questions is below.

Roundabout

  • Concern that a roundabout is not needed as during peak hours there is very little traffic turning right out of Bruce McLaren Road.
    We conducted a traffic survey and found that approximately 50 vehicles turned right during morning peak and 80 vehicles during evening peak. The addition of a roundabout is necessary to provide safe opportunities for drivers turning right and also turning left out of Bruce McLaren Road without experiencing significant delays due to the high speeds of traffic on Parrs Cross Road.
  • Concern that traffic on Parrs Cross Road will be slowed down by the roundabout and crossings.
    Slowing down drivers close to the intersection is beneficial as it considerably reduces the chances of severe crashes and creates a safer environment for all road users.
  • Concern the roundabout will cause congestion.
    Our traffic flow modelling has shown that there will be no significant congestion impact. The roundabout will provide safe opportunities for vehicles to turn out of Bruce McLaren Road while also reducing speeds in the area.
  • Suggest traffic lights instead of roundabout, which would control the flow of traffic better and prioritise all road users.
    We considered signalisation at this intersection however our modelling showed that signalisation will have greater delays for drivers compared to the roundabout. There are also existing overhead power lines that run on Parrs Cross Road and Bruce McLaren Road, which would conflict with the proposed traffic signals. Relocation of power line and power poles would have a significant impact on project costs.

Traffic monitoring

  • Queries if traffic flow has been monitored.
    We conducted a traffic survey and found that approximately 50 vehicles turned right during morning peak and 80 vehicles during evening peak. However, this proposal is not only to improve access for vehicles turning from Bruce McLaren Road on to Parrs Cross Road but also to improve the overall safety at the intersection.

Pedestrian crossing on Bruce McLaren Road

  • Concern that pedestrian crossing is too close to the intersection and will cause congestion and queuing on the roundabout.
    There will not be a significant impact to congestion and queuing on the roundabout as there are not a large number of people crossing at this location. However, it is important that we still provide a safe place for people to cross Bruce McLaren Road.
  • Suggest a better placement would be similar to the West Coast Road pedestrian crossing beside Parrs Park. Smooth raised table each end with plentiful distance to roundabout, allows great time to identify crosswalk users and stop safely, with little to no intrusion or disruption to roundabout traffic flow.
    The crossing beside Parrs park has been installed to cater for the pedestrian desire line – the most comfortable route for a person to walk between two places. However, in this case the raised crossing on Bruce McLaren Road has been positioned here for the safety of pedestrians but also to reduce the speed of vehicles entering the roundabout. If we locate that crossing further away from roundabout, vehicles may still speed as they reach the roundabout. Our traffic flow modelling has showed that there will be no significant impact to traffic flow.

Swedish-style raised tables

  • Concerns about the Swedish style raised tables. Concerns include:
    • they will be uncomfortable;
    • they will be too sharp and unsuitable for vehicles carrying breakable goods;
    • they will cause more noise and emissions due to braking and accelerating;
    • they will be difficult for drivers and cyclists to navigate.

Swedish tables have been selected as they are a more smooth type raised intervention and are suitable for buses and heavy vehicles to use. The above concerns have been considered and the raised tables will be constructed to ensure these will not occur.

Crossing at 69 Parrs Cross Road

  • Concerns about the proposed location of the crossing. Concern that due to the hill, visibility is impacted at this location.
    We have conducted visibility checks and these show that there is sufficient visibility for both people crossing and approaching drivers at this crossing.
  • Suggestion to move the pedestrian crossing closer to 100 Parrs Cross Road or adding another pedestrian crossing as that location is popular for crossing.
    There is only a footpath on one side of the road at 100 Parrs Cross Road. Therefore, a pedestrian crossing cannot be added unless new footpath is installed on the other side of the road. We have a programme that prioritises various locations for new footpaths. Currently this location is not part of this programme as there are not many pedestrian generating facilities in the area.
  • Request for Swedish-style raised tables at this crossing.
    There are many driveways in close proximity to each other at this location to fit a Swedish style table on the western leg of Parrs Cross Road. There is also very little pedestrian demand at this location.
  • Concerns about access to driveways at this location. Concerned it is already difficult to enter and exit driveways, with cars parked along the road.
    The addition of broken yellow line restriction around the crossing will improve visibility and access for residents and visitors using these driveways as cars will not be allowed to park along this section of road.
  • Concern the proposed traffic island will make it difficult for traffic turning right from Holdens Road.
    We have undertaken vehicle tracking and our investigations have shown that vehicles can safely turn right from Holdens Road.

Bus stop relocation

  • Concerns about the access to the driveway at 182 Bruce McLaren Road if the bus stop is moved. Concerns also about safety, privacy and security at this location.
    We appreciate your concerns, however there is only one bus route which operates at an approximate frequency of 20 minutes. Buses only stop to pick up and drop off passengers. Therefore, access to the driveway will only be impacted for a very short time. It is important we relocate this bus stop from 180 Bruce McLaren Road so that it can be brought up to AT standards and ensure that buses have enough space to safely enter and exit the stop. Social issues such as anti-social behaviour should be reported directly to the New Zealand Police.
  • Request for a bus shelter at the new location.
    We are unable to accommodate this request as part of this project. However, your request has been referred to the relevant team to investigate.
  • Request to remove the tree at the existing bus stop as it is hard for people to see approaching buses.
    As the bus stop will be moved to outside 182 Bruce McLaren Road, there is sufficient visibility to see approaching buses without removing the tree.
  • Concerns about the loss of on-street parking.
    We appreciate it may be frustrating to lose on-street parking, but the addition of broken yellow lines restrictions is necessary to improve visibility and to ensure buses have enough space to safely enter and exit the stop to pick up and drop off passengers.
  • Recommendation to not change the bus stop location. Suggest it is already safe for buses to move in and out of the stop and the current location does not impact on any driveways.
    The location of the exiting bus stop does not meet AT standards. Moving the bus stop to outside 182 Bruce McLaren Road will ensure that buses have enough space to safely enter and exit the stop.
  • Concerns that the new bus stop location, being closer to the roundabout, will cause congestion as vehicles will not be able to get past the bus.
    The bus stop is at a sufficient distance away from roundabout. There is only one bus route which operates at an approximate frequency of 20 minutes and a bus stopping to pick up or drop off passengers only occurs for a small amount of time. Therefore, we do not anticipate any congestion.
  • Suggestion to move the bus stop away from this location. Suggestions include further north, not directly in front of a house, in front of empty plots of land.
    Moving bus stop further north will bring it too close to the Bruce McLaren Road/Applewood Drive bus stop. It is important that we space out the bus stops to ensure easy access for people getting buses and to ensure the bus stops serve a wide catchment.

Broken yellow lines

  • Respondent requested broken yellow lines around the corners of Starforth Place and Legacy Drive. Parked cars are blocking access.
    The entries into both these streets from Bruce McLaren Road are not considered narrow. 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 along these streets may reduce the traffic flow to a single lane, these same parked vehicles tend to discourage drivers from speeding. Vehicles parked on either side of the road give drivers the impression of a narrow road, encouraging greater care when driving.

Other feedback

  • Respondents requested speed cameras at various locations including West Coast Road, Bruce McLaren Road and Parrs Cross Road.
    For speed camera (safety camera) requests, please contact the New Zealand Police as the enforcement of speeding vehicles is their responsibility.
    The New Zealand Police, in conjunction with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Safety Team and an independent transportation consultant, have a methodology for choosing sites which are suitable for speed/ safety cameras. Generally, safety cameras are placed in areas where there is a problem with excessive speed and there is a proven crash risk or research shows a history of crashes causing death and/or serious injuries. Check the link to the police website with information about how sites are selected and where the cameras are being sited. Should you notice common trends, such as speeding during certain times of the day or individual vehicles, you may also want to contact the police with further details so they can carry out targeted enforcement.
  • Requests for more speed calming measures on Bruce McLaren Road and Starforth Place e.g. speed bumps, pedestrian crossings.
    To address traffic speeds in residential areas we have adopted an area-based focus with 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. There is a focused delivery to areas that have been prioritised for changes that reduce the incidence and impact of crashes. Starforth Place and Bruce McLaren Road are not currently within a residential area which has been prioritised for delivery or construction.
  • Respondent was concerned that the regional fuel tax could be better spent.
    This project has been prioritised for delivery based on a number of factors but mostly due to the safety concerns and inefficient intersection operation relating to drivers turning from Bruce McLaren Road onto Parrs Cross Road. This proposal will also improve the level of service for pedestrians with the installation of new crossing facilities.

We're proposing changes in your area

Aucklanders have told us that moving around our region safely and easily is important to them. We are proposing to add a roundabout and pedestrian crossings at this busy intersection to improve safety and efficiency for all road users and are asking for your views..

The changes we are proposing:

  • Install a roundabout that is mountable, and mountable corners on the northern and eastern side of the intersection, to allow for turning of over-sized trucks and buses.
  • Add traffic islands on the approaches to the roundabout which aim to channel the traffic to make it safer for turning vehicles.
  • Install a zebra crossing on a Swedish-style raised table on Bruce McLaren Road. A Swedish-style speed table has one sharp ramp and a more gentle exit which gives a smoother ride for vehicles and passengers. We will also add a pedestrian island to break up the journey halfway across the road.
  • Add Swedish-style raised tables on the entries to the roundabout.
  • Install a crossing with a pedestrian island outside 69 Parrs Cross Road.
  • Install 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.
  • Relocate the bus stop from 180 Bruce McLaren Road to 182 Bruce McLaren Road to ensure buses have enough space to safely enter and exit the stop. This will include painting broken yellow lines (no stopping at all times). This will remove approximately 5 parking spaces.
  • Rebuild the footpaths on the corners of Bruce McLaren Road.
  • Paint new road markings and add signs to support the roundabout and pedestrian crossings.
  • Paint broken yellow lines at the new crossings and on all approaches to the intersection. This will remove approximately 3 parking spaces.
  • Reinstate the grass berms (grass strip next to the road) at the new crossings and at the southern side of the roundabout.

Download the proposal drawing for Parrs Cross Road and Bruce McLaren Road (PDF 1.1MB)

Auckland Transport would like to work with you to deliver safer roads in your neighbourhood. From our investigations we have identified a number of issues at this intersection. Drivers turning right from Bruce McLaren Road onto Parrs Cross Road are experiencing significant delays due to the high speeds of drivers on Parrs Cross Road. Installing a roundabout and speed tables aims to slow drivers and allow traffic to flow smoothly through all the entries and exits.

New, safe places to cross this busy intersection will help to improve pedestrian safety. Removing some on street parking is necessary to support these changes. We understand removing parking can be inconvenient, so we have minimised the removal whilst maintaining clear visibility.

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 Parrs Cross Road and Bruce McLaren 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).