Kyle Road Kyle Road
Background and outcomes of the study phase into improvements to Kyle Road between Albany and Greenhithe to improve safety, promote cycling and walking and to future proof the route for the provision of public transport.
Project purpose
Objectives
- Connectivity: Link Kyle Road East and Kyle Road west to reduce travel time.
- Safety: Improve the safety of current and future vehicles and people, including pedestrians, travelling along Kyle Road east.
- Walking and Cycling: Provide facilities that promote cycling and walking along Kyle Road taking into account the future demands in the local area.
- Constructability: Provide an optimised solution which balances the requirements of road functionality and design standards against constructability of the scheme with consideration of cross-section, horizontal and vertical alignment, land acquisition, property access, geotechnical conditions and topography.
- Public Transport: Provide a solution that increases potential to accommodate community transport (school buses) and public transport services in the future.
- Funding: Maximise economic returns of each option for the project to meet thresholds to secure funding from appropriate sources (NZTA or Auckland Council).
Project history
This legacy project was inherited from the previous North Shore City Council (NSCC); Auckland Transport began working on it in mid-2011. In the second half of 2011, the project background information was compiled and a suitable external resource was engaged to undertake the production of a study.
- On 13 December 2011, a presentation was made to the Upper Harbour Local Board (UHLB) explaining to them the process of this project.
- On 22 May 2012, the project delivery group (PDG) arranged a public information evening at the Upper Harbour School, and sent invitations to approximately 3,900 households around the Kyle Rd area, and newspaper advertisements in the North Shore Times.
- Online project site and public display boards were also provided, encouraging residents to provide their feedback on three proposed concepts identified for this project:
- A stakeholder workshop was conducted on 31 May 2012.
- By end of July 2012, 188 submissions were received, and comments were collated and categorised.
The general outcome of the public consultation was that about 50% supported the projects and 50% were against any proposal. However, the results of the public engagement didn’t provide a clear indication of what the local residents preferred.
Five options were then developed to enable the assessment of the proposed works and find out if any of them was feasible.
- On 10 July 2012, the project team met with the North Shore Business Association, and provided an update to the UHLB.
- The Options assessments took almost four months to complete. A report to AT’s Decision value Assurance Committee (dVAC) was presented at their November 2012 meeting, informing them about the results of the feasibility study, and that the project doesn’t fit the prioritisation criteria set by AT.
- On 4 December, dVAC wanted to get more certainty about the study finding before making their final decision. Therefore, they instructed PDG to double check these results, re-run the traffic modelling for the area, arrange for independent peer review, and confirm back the finding to them.
- This work was carried out, and presented again to dVAC at their 4 June 2013 meeting, in which a decision was made to proceed with the premature closure of this project for the reasons of not having a good business case to progress it to the next stage.
- In mid-June 2013, a memo was send to UHLB members informing them of AT's decision.
- On 6 August, PDG presents their finding to the UHLB, before updating the rest of the community.
- On 22 August, letters been dropped to update local residents about the final decision on this project.
Options
Considering the public feedback, five options were identified as follows:
Option 1 – Cost-effective solution
This option includes upgrades and improvements to the existing conditions to specifically address the Road Safety Audit concerns raised in the Traffic and Transportation Road Safety Audit Report, prepared in 2009, for the existing Kyle Road east section.
This option retains the existing carriageway cross section, horizontal / vertical geometry and footpath in its current form.
The works proposed in the cost effective solution relate to the Kyle Road east section and not the already upgraded Kyle Road west section.
The aim of this option is to make Kyle Road east a safer road environment with relatively low cost improvements. Central to this philosophy is ensuring that where possible Kyle Road east is perceived by drivers as a low speed environment. The posted speed limit may be 50km/h but advisory speeds would be maintained as low as 25km/h and road marking and delineation would be designed to improve side friction and reduce speed.
As no improvement to the vertical and horizontal geometry is proposed as part of this option, there will be no improved access for school buses or general public transport.
As this option does not provide a connection to Kyle Road west, the potential to offer new bus services is also limited.
The cost effective solution proposes no major changes to the road layout or general nature or aesthetics of the existing corridor.
It is intended that all of the works in this option could be categorised as one of the following activities:
- Maintenance or preservation of existing infrastructure or amenity within the study corridor as would be expected as part of a normal ongoing maintenance strategy;
- Enhancement or introduction of a safety measure at comparatively low cost with the potential to reduce risk to vulnerable road users and/or generally improve road safety conditions.
Key physical works for Option 1 cost effective solution would include:
- Improved delineation & side friction by installing edge marker posts, painted edge lines, continuity lines across intersections, raised reflective pavement markers (RRPM’s) along the existing carriageway edge;
- Installing raised reflective road pavement markers (RRPM) along the carriageway centreline through horizontal curves adjacent to 102 Kyle Road and Wicklam Lane;
- Upgrading the existing signage to comply with MOTSAM Part 1 requirements, including chevron boards at curves, gating speed signs and replacing existing incorrect signage as required;
- Removing three existing power poles currently located within the clear zone adjacent horizontal curves and replacing with new power poles outside of the carriageway clear zone of 4m.
- Removing or trimming vegetation from the road reserve obscuring signage or sight lines around horizontal curves and at intersections;
- Installing PW-29 (pedestrian) signage to alert drivers to the possibility of pedestrians on the carriageway where there is no existing footpath;
- Reducing the risk around existing roadside hazards within the clear zone. This includes re-profiling existing drainage ditches, flattening steep banks, altering stormwater culvert ends to make them traversable and removing large vegetation where it is practical and cost efficient to undertake these works;
- Providing pavement centreline markings to the southern approach to the Kyle Road / William Gamble Drive roundabout in accordance with MOTSAM Section 2: Pavement Markings;
- Replacing two existing non compliant bullnose leading end terminals on the W-beam guardrail over the existing Kyle Road bridge structure with Fleat 350 terminals;
- Undertaking carriageway reseals on all horizontal curves located between Ch.0m and Ch1100m.
- Banning on-street parking on corners along Kyle Road east section.
Option 1 does not include any physical works relating to the following improvements or upgrade works. However it is acknowledged that a number of the following improvements could be treated as complementary options to further enhance this option.
- Storm water drainage improvements and treatment works;
- Street lighting of currently unlit sections of carriageway;
- Provision of a footpath, cycleway or shared path in locations where there is currently none provided; and upgrade of vertical or horizontal alignment to comply with Austroads standards for a 50km/h posted speed limit.
Option 2 – 50km/h Posted Speed Limit
Option 2 includes reconstruction of Kyle Road east (rural portion) between Schnapper Rock Road and the previously upgraded carriageway at Ch.1120m.
The proposed alignment will have a design speed of 50km/h between Schnapper Rock Road and Ch.300m where the alignment is constrained, increasing to a 60km/h design speed between Ch.300m and Ch.1120m. Off road provision for pedestrians and cyclists has also been provided on the eastern side of the Kyle Road east carriageway as this is where the majority of the existing housing is located.
The improved vertical and horizontal geometry of this option will improve access for school buses and general public transport. However, as this option does not provide a connection to Kyle Road west, the potential to offer bus services is limited.
Key physical works in Option 2 include:
- Reconstructing Kyle Road east between Schnapper Rock Road and Ch.1120m to provide two 4.0m wide traffic lanes with 2.5m wide off road shared path.
- Reconstruction of Kyle Road shall be future proofed for a 10.5m carriageway width if the gully connection is added in the future. This future proofing includes undertaking ultimate formation works (cut/fill batters), retaining walls, clear zones and future widening only on one side.
- Develop a revised horizontal and vertical alignment to achieve a posted speed of 50km/h which includes increasing the crest and sag K values to acceptable levels. This will require localised lowering or raising the existing carriageway and adjusting private property accesses as required.
- Improving sight lines compared to the current situation in full compliance with AGRD standards.
- Constructing kerb and channel, along with a piped storm water collection and conveyance system. Storm water will be discharged at suitable locations such as existing cross culvert locations.
- Installing street lighting along the currently unlit section of carriageway,
- Providing compliant clear zones or installing roadside barriers where possible by AGRD standards. This will include removing vegetation, relocating power poles, etc. It has been acknowledged by Auckland Transport and T2 that due to constraints, compliant clears zones cannot be achieved along the full route.
- Providing street signage in accordance with MOTSAM requirements for an urban road,
- Constructing retaining walls to limit the extent of works to remain within the existing road reserve except adjacent to Watercare property where battering into their property has been permitted.
- Utility diversions or replacement to accommodate lowering or raising of the existing carriageway. This includes the existing 810mm diameter Concrete Lined Steel (CLS) water main.
- Banning on street parking on corners along Kyle Road east section.
Option 3 – 50km/h posted speed limit + Paper Road
Option 3 consists of all the upgrades and improvements proposed in Option 2 plus construction of the Paper Road. The Paper Road is new road alignment that passes through an alternative road reserve behind the property at 80 Kyle Road.
Construction of the Paper Road is included in this option because it may provide some traffic safety benefits.
The key benefit of the Paper Road is that it smoothes out the overall vertical geometry of the road in comparison with Option 2. However, construction of the Paper Road also requires that a new intersection is constructed near Wicklam Lane to connect the disconnected Kyle Road (section of Kyle Road adjacent to 80 Kyle Road) with the Paper Road.
The improved vertical and horizontal geometry of this option will improve access for school buses and general public transport. However, as this option does not provide a connection to Kyle Road west, the potential to offer new bus services is limited.
Option 4 – 50km/h posted speed limit + Pitoitoi Gully connection
Option 4 consists of all the upgrades and improvements proposed in Option 2 plus construction of the Pitoitoi Gully connection. In terms of the consistency of the road layout from one end of Kyle Road to the other end, Option 4 is preferable to Option 2 and 3 because it connects the full length of Kyle Road, incorporating a 10.5m carriageway.
In comparison, Options 2 and 3 provide only an 8.0m wide carriageway (refer to typical cross section drawing C-0001 in Appendix A to see this comparison).
The improved vertical and horizontal geometry of this option will improve access for school buses and general public transport. As this option provides a connection to Kyle Road west, it also offers the potential to provide new bus services.
Option 5 – 50km/h posted speed limit + Pitoitoi Gully connection + Paper Road
Option 5 consists of all the upgrades and improvements proposed in Option 3 plus construction of the Pitoitoi Gully connection.
In terms of the consistency of the road layout from one end of Kyle Road to the other, Option 5 is preferable to Options 2, 3 and 4 because it connects the full length of Kyle Road, incorporating a 10.5m carriageway.
In comparison, Options 2 and 3 provide only an 8.0m wide carriageway. Option 5 also provides smoother overall vertical geometry because of the provision of the Paper Road.
The improved vertical and horizontal geometry of this option will improve access for school buses and general public transport. As this option provides a connection to Kyle Road west, it also offers the potential to provide new bus services.
Economic benefits
Transport-related benefits are assessed in line with the NZTA Economic Evaluation Manual (EEM) full procedures. This analysis included the following five benefit streams:
- Travel time savings
- Vehicle operating costs (VOC) savings
- CO2 emissions savings
- Accident cost savings
- Cycle and pedestrian benefits
Benefit breakdown
Project cost estimate
The capital costs are calculated using the SM014-manual (cost estimation manual) published by NZTA. The capital costs, annual and periodic maintenance costs were estimated, considering the 30 year consideration period
Cost breakdown
Evaluation
A Multi Criteria Assessment (MCA) tool has been used to assess each project option. The option evaluation framework was developed based on the project objectives. The framework has been developed in parallel to the six key Land Transport Management Act (LTMA) objectives to ensure each of these has been adequately captured in the analysis.
The MCA tool for option evaluation is based on an eleven point scale. The scoring and ranking of options is carried out for LTMA objectives excluding outcomes on integration.
Scoring
| Rank | Option |
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 1 |
Project profile
NZTA’s revised Investment and Revenue Strategy (IRS) (NZTA, 2012), forms the framework for the assessment and prioritisation of land transport activities that require NZTA investment.
The result of this assessment is:
- Strategic fit = Low
- Effectiveness = Low
- Economic Efficiency = Low
