Safety improvements for Atkinson Avenue Safety improvements for Atkinson Avenue
Auckland Transport is exploring how we can make part of Atkinson Avenue in Ōtāhuhu safer for everyone.
Project status: Consultation
Project zone: South
Project overview
There have been 109 crashes on Atkinson Avenue in recent years (2014-2019). Sadly, this has resulted in 20 people getting hurt, some very seriously.
Some of the crashes have involved pedestrians being hit by cars when crossing the road. Auckland Transport is taking a Vision Zero approach to road safety. This means we are striving to have zero deaths or serious injuries on our transport system by 2050. Atkinson Avenue has been identified as a high-risk road and has been prioritised for road safety improvements.
Project details
To help prevent people from getting seriously hurt or worse, we are exploring road safety improvements on Atkinson Ave, between Princes Street and High Street. Provided funding is available, the types of possible improvements could include:
- A traffic light crossing.
- A zebra crossing on a speed table.
- Raised intersections.
- Pedestrian islands.
Why improvements are needed
Our investigations have found there is a high risk of people getting hurt on this stretch of Atkinson Ave, especially people walking.
This is a main route for freight but, with many shops and restaurants on this stretch, there are also lots of people walking and crossing.
While there are some pedestrian crossings, they don’t always match the places people want to cross. Sadly, people have been hit by cars when crossing the road – including some at pedestrian crossings.
If we don’t make any changes, there is a risk more people will get hurt, or even killed.
The reasons we’re investigating how to make Atkinson Avenue a safer and more enjoyable place to be include:
- 109 crashes (2014-2019):
- 20 people have been injured, some seriously.
- Some of these included people walking and on bikes.
- The number of pedestrians in the area:
- Approximately 1,700 on a weekday and 2,150 on a Saturday.
- Safety concerns raised by the Māngere Ōtāhuhu Local Board.
Speed determines how badly someone gets hurt
The types of improvements we are considering will make Atkinson Ave safer for everyone by slightly reducing vehicle speeds. That’s important because speed affects both the likelihood of a crash occurring and whether people are killed, injured or walk away unharmed.
Driving even a few kilometres slower can save someone’s life, as the graph below illustrates.
*Survivability rates vary significantly based on a number of factors and scenarios. AT takes a preventative approach with respect to the survivability of our most vulnerable road users. Data taken from Research Report AP-R560-18 published in March 2018 by Austroads - the Association of Australian and New Zealand Road Transport and Traffic Authorities.
Learn more about why safe speeds are important.
Project area
To make Atkinson Avenue safer for all road users, particularly pedestrians, we are exploring road safety improvements between Princes Street and High Street – this is where there is a high number of pedestrians.
Click here to view this map in a new window (PDF 9.12MB)
Types of improvements we could make
Depending on the availability of funding, we could consider some of the improvements below as they would reduce the risk of crashes occurring, slightly reduce vehicle speeds and provide safe places for people to cross.
Please note, some of these measures would require a small number of on-street parking spaces to be removed.
Traffic light crossings
An image of traffic light crossings. Note, this image is not of Atkinson Ave and is for illustrative purposes only.
Traffic lights improve safety by providing people with a safe place to cross – helping to reduce crashes.
They clearly warn drivers to watch out for people crossing and work best when they’re in places people would naturally choose to cross.
Zebra crossing on a speed table (also called a raised table)
An image of a raised table. Note, this image is not of Atkinson Avenue and is for illustrative purposes only.
A speed table is a raised section of the road, with ramps on each side, that aims to slow vehicles to a safe speed.
These are often used at pedestrian crossings and in-between intersections. The white arrows, and sometimes signage, let drivers know they need to slow down.
Raised intersection
An image of a raised intersection. Note, this image is not of Atkinson Ave and is for illustrative purposes only.
This is like a speed table but it covers an entire intersection - with ramps at each entry point. The intersection is raised to the level of the footpath – making it easier for pedestrians to cross.
Pedestrian refuge island
An image of a pedestrian refuge island. Note, this image is not of Atkinson Avenue and is for illustrative purposes only.
A pedestrian refuge island is a raised island with a cut-through. These are designed to allow pedestrians to cross busy roads in two stages and give pedestrians a safer place to wait (while giving way to vehicles) before making the second stage of the crossing.
Have your say
Listening to what you have to say is important to us. Your local knowledge can help us make better decisions, so together we can achieve the best outcomes for your neighbourhood.
You can help by telling us what you think about the revised proposal and what changes, if any, you would make.
Give feedback on the safety improvements for Atkinson Ave
The consultation closes on 21 November 2021.
Public feedback
Listening to what you have to say is important to us. Your local knowledge can help us make better decisions, so together we can achieve the best outcomes for your neighbourhood.
Public feedback closes on 21 November 2021.
Auckland Transport carried out community engagement for this project at the end of 2020.
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. You can read the full report here.
Come and talk to us
Speaking with you face-to-face is important to us. If we move into alert level 2 or 1 then we will hold in-person community events. Just turn up at any time during one of our drop-in sessions and our team will be there to answer any questions you may have.
No matter what happens, we will be running an online webinar that will enable you to directly ask the project team questions.
Tuesday 16 November, 4.30 pm – 5 pm
Webinar related to the proposed changes – click here to join
Timeline
Construction on this project is planned to start in the first half of 2022, subject to funding and the feedback received from this consultation.
We will provide more information when it becomes available. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.
Other improvements in Ōtāhuhu
Making Atkinson Avenue safer will complement the other improvements that are being made in Ōtāhuhu town centre.
- Ōtāhuhu town centre transformation.
- Ōtāhuhu train station upgrade.
- Improvements to parking time restrictions.
- Safer speed limits.