Beach Road, Te Atatu, speed cushions Beach Road, Te Atatu, speed cushions
Auckland Transport (AT) is installing traffic-calming measures on Beach Road, Te Atatu Peninsula, in response to community concerns about speeding vehicles.
Project overview
We propose installing a combination of speed cushions and one-way speed controls along the length of Beach Road to help improve pedestrian, cycle, and traffic safety.
Beach Road has been identified as a high priority for speed-calming measures. Safety concerns were raised by the local community and the Henderson-Massey Local Board, particularly the number of vehicles speeding along the road.
Timeline
- December 2013 - Community feedback on an intial proposal to introduce speed cushions.
- December 2015 - Feedback on a revised proposal with a combination of speed cushions and one-way speed controls.
- March 2016 - Feedback on bus stop and shelter outside No. 62 Beach Road.
- July 2016 to June 2017 - Install traffic-calming measures (subject to further design and funding changes).
Project detail
AT will install speed cushions at 5 locations along Beach Road. There will be 2 speed cushions at each location.
Speed cushions are similar to speed humps, but are wider (3 metres front to back) and have breaks between them so large vehicles can drive over without their wheels touching the cushions (ie. their wheels stay in the gaps either side of the cushion).
Beach Road is a bus route so speed cushions offer ease of access for buses while reducing the speeds of other vehicles using the road.
One-way controls will also be introduced as an additional traffic-calming measure. A single speed cushion will be installed where the one-way control measures are introduced.
The combination of speed cushions and one-way speed controls will reduce the amount of noise created.
In conjunction with the speed cushions, we will install new pram crossings, planted islands, road markings and signage to improve safety for all road users.
See final consultation plan of traffic-calming measures on Beach Road (PDF 684KB)
Investigation and consultation
Between 2008 and 2012, AT made initial investigations into the safety of Beach Road including a review of operational speeds, vehicle volumes and speed-related crashes along the road.
As Beach Road is a bus route, we identified speed cushions as the most suitable speed-calming device.
Initial proposal
In December 2013, we sought community feedback on a proposal to introduce speed cushions along Beach Road. We received a majority of support for the proposal, however, we also received a high amount of feedback from Beach Road residents with concerns over the noise the speed cushions would create as vehicles passed over them. We also received feedback querying how cost-effective the solution would be.
Revised proposal
After carefully considering the feedback, we revised the proposal to use a combination of speed cushions and one-way speed controls. We reduced the number of speed-cushion locations for 8 to 5 and also reduced the number of speed cushions at each location from 4 to 2.
We sought feedback on this revised proposal from 30 November to 11 December 2015.
Bus stop and shelter outside 62 Beach Road
Following analysis of feedback received in December 2015 about the sensitive nature of activities at Hospice West Auckland, we proposed changing the location of a new bus stop and shelter from No. 58 Beach Road (outside the hospice) to outside No. 62 Beach Road.
As a result of the change, the new speed cushion will now be located near No. 55 and No. 70 Beach Road.
The revised proposal will also result in a loss of on-street parking spaces, however, this is necessary to install the speed cushion and provide access for buses to safely enter and exit the new stop.
Public feedback was open from 15 to 30 March 2016 and we received a majority of supportive feedback for the proposal. As a result, AT will be proceeding with implementing the traffic calming measures on Beach Road.
Making the changes
We expect to install the proposed traffic-calming measures between July 2016 and June 2017, subject to any further changes in design or funding issues.