Innovating Streets for people Innovating Streets for people
Auckland Transport, Auckland Council, Panuku Development Auckland, Kāinga Ora and local boards are working together to create more people friendly spaces in our neighbourhoods.
- Read more about this initiative.
- Find out about the timelines.
- Read about the Round 1 projects.
- Read about the Round 2 projects.
Project status: Investigation
Project zone: Region-wide
Project overview
Throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, people experienced their streets and neighbourhoods differently. The Innovating Streets for People programme will enable Aucklanders to continue to enjoy their neighbourhoods and use streets not just as roads, but as public spaces.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Innovating Streets for People programme aims to make it faster and easier to transition streets to safer and more liveable spaces.
The ability to pilot new street layouts enables communities to get a sense of what their streets could be like, and to understand that their input to changes is valued.
By piloting innovations in streets with communities before committing to major investment, road controlling authorities can have more assurance that they’re getting the direction of change right.
The projects funded by this programme from safe street improvements outside schools, slow street interventions, and walking and cycling facilities and include initiatives such as community-led street events. Quick, lower cost projects can be trialled as a transition for long term projects.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s process
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency created this pilot fund so that agencies across New Zealand can apply for funding for innovating streets projects. They will select the best applications based on a range of criteria such as innovation, collaboration, and community engagement.
There were two application rounds for the pilot fund. The first opened on 3 April 2020 and closed on 8 May 2020. Waka Kotahi announced the successful applications for round one in early June. The second round opened on 8 June 2020 and closed on 3 July 2020.
Find out more about Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's pilot fund.
Project details
Round 1 timeline
- 6 May 2020 – Round 1 projects approved by Auckland Council.
- 8 May - 23 June 2020 – Round 1 projects assessed and approved by NZTA.
- July 2020 – June 2021 – Plan, design, and implement round 1 projects.
Round 2 timeline
- 4 June 2020 – Round 2 projects approved Auckland Council.
- 3 July – 21 August 2020 – Round 2 projects assessed and approved by NZTA.
- August 2020 – June 2021 - Plan, design, and implement round 2 projects.
Round 1 projects
On 23 June 2020 Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency confirmed funding for 6 Auckland projects. Details of each project can be seen below. We will work with local communities over the coming months to develop these projects
Auckland Transport led projects
Safe school streets pilotWill use temporary changes to trial safety improvements near the school gate. Once we fully understand what’s needed, a permanent change will be delivered. These changes will be designed together with schools and communities. This could include parking changes, new drop off and pick up zones, new pedestrian crossings, and speed calming measures.
School speed reductionWill reduce the speed around several schools using temporary changes like street art and planter boxes to reduce the risk of death and serious injury. These changes will be designed together with schools and communities.
Glen Eden town centre pop-up cycleway
To make the Glen Eden town centre safer for people on foot and easier for people to move around in cars, Auckland Transport is making a number of improvements. The improvements are mostly planned for West Coast Road and Captain Scott Road. However, some other streets will also see improvements.
School streets active mode shiftAims to get more children walking and cycling through community bike programmes, walking school buses, and temporary school street closures.
Panuku Development Auckland led projects
Read more about the Panuku projects.
Ratanui link, Henderson
This proposal pilots a pop-up walking and cycling link and improved access to Henderson Train Station. This will be tested by reallocating some street space in Henderson's town centre to make more space for people, all designed through a collaborative process with local stakeholders and businesses. As well as improving walking and cycling safety, the project also aims to make it more enjoyable for people living close to the town centre.
Huron and Northcroft streetscape improvements, Takapuna
This proposal aims to work with local community to co-design a series of temporary interventions to support better walking connections through Takapuna, due for completion in October 2020. It will build directly on previous and current Panuku led tactical urbanism initiatives in Takapuna and will permit adjoining businesses to explore activating their street frontage, widening footpaths and providing safer crossings. The learnings will be used to inform a future permanent upgrade.
Auckland Council led projects
Queen StreetInnovating Streets will support parts of the long-awaited Access for Everyone pilot on Auckland’s Queen Street, which will make downtown Auckland a more welcoming and attractive place for the thousands of people who live, work and shop there every day. It will also help people travel more quickly through the city by bus, on foot and by bike.
Round 2 projects
On 28 August 2020 Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency confirmed funding for 13 projects in round two, bringing the total number of projects funded in Auckland to 21. Details of each project can be seen below. We will work with local communities over the coming months to develop these projects.
Auckland Transport led projects
Safe School Streets Māngere
This is part of the Safe and Healthy Streets South Auckland project that aims to achieve a fun, safe, healthy and well-connected Māngere and Manukau. Five Māngere schools will be involved.
Project WAVE
A protected bike route at the bottom of Nelson Street and into the city centre. With the aim of increasing the number of people on bikes using the bottom end of Nelson Street. Read more about Project WAVE.
Ponsonby Road, returning Ponsonby Road to the people
Creating a more people friendly environment on Ponsonby Road trialling people friendly spaces and safer ways to travel.
Read more about the Ponsonby Road project.
Papatoetoe west low traffic neighbourhoods
Creating a low traffic neighbourhood in Papatoetoe West. With the aim of preventing rat-running through residential roads and allocating more road space to walking and cycling.
Glen Eden Town Centre pop-up cycleway
Creating safer streets, with slower traffic on Captain Scott Road. The aim is to provide a separated bike connection to Glen Eden Intermediate and Glen Eden Primary Schools, and for residents to the town centre and train station.
Maungakiekie Tamaki low traffic neighbourhoods
Creating two low traffic neighbourhoods, one in Onehunga and one in Glen Innes. This project aims to re-define the street network in these areas, keeping local streets for local people and creating streets where people can bike and walk without fear, loud traffic and traffic fumes.
Māngere East pedestrian improvements and traffic management
The goal of this project is to advance walking amenity in Māngere East by building on the lessons from Te Ara Mua Future Streets and testing new road safety and walking amenity designs.
Auckland Council led projects
Creating safer streets
Emily Place - Transforming Emily Place into a peaceful, tranquil oasis for people to enjoy by making significant changes to the way vehicles move around the site.
Creating safer streets - Tyler Street
Creating a more people friendly environment on Tyler Street.
Community for play streets for Tāmaki Makarau
Testing out play streets at several residential areas in west and south Auckland. Play streets enable neighbours to temporarily restrict traffic access to their street so the space can be opened up for play, recreation and to create a sense of community.
Maungakiekie Tamaki low traffic neighbourhoods
Tāmaki regeneration
Make it Safe, Make it Playful and Celebrate Tāmaki
Encourage a shift to walking, cycling and public transport. Creating streets as places including play along the way and a celebration of Tāmaki’s natural landscape and unique identity. Read more about this project.
Kaianga Ora led project
Maximising Māngere -Time to Thrive
New pop-up bike lanes that fix gaps in the existing network, including co-design to help choose locations for pop-up cycle lanes and some activations to promote the new temporary bike lanes. Widening and painting of footpaths in strategic locations.
Panuku led projects
Read more about the Panuku projects.
Manukau and Wiri Safe and Healthy Streets South Auckland
The proposal builds on the multi-agency collective impact approach developed through the Safe and Healthy Streets South Auckland Programme and involves a series of co-designed temporary tactical interventions to test, trial and pilot people centred changes to streets in Manukau.
Pukekohe East Street and Laneway Enhancements
With a view to creating more people-centred streets and inform the future streetscape upgrades of King Street, Roulston Street and the laneways, Panuku proposes a series of tactical interventions and temporary activities to enhance the vibrancy of Pukekohe’s town centre. At the heart of this activity will be a relocation of the Pukekohe Markets to the town square and Rouston Street.