Two-way cycling on one-way streets Two-way cycling on one-way streets
Auckland Transport (AT) has a proposal to permit two-way cycling in three quiet one-way streets in the city centre.
Project status: Complete.
Project zone: Central.
Project overview
Managing vehicle volumes using one-way or no-entry controls can create quiet streets that are great for walking and cycling.
However, because these controls also apply to bikes, cyclists are legally restricted from accessing these quiet streets or from forming useful 2-way cycling routes.
A technique that many cities use to keep the benefits of traffic control, yet continue to allow cycling, is to exempt cyclists from selected one-way or no-entry restrictions.
Monitoring data from other cities suggests that safety risks are low when used in quiet streets.
Project details
To develop this technique, AT proposed two-way cycling in three quiet one-way (shared-use) streets, including an “Except cycles” sign at the no-entry point and an information sign "Oncoming cycles" at the vehicle entrance advising motorists that people may be cycling towards them.
Examples of two-way cycling signage
These signs are already legal but have not been used in Auckland before.
Roads that will have two-way cycling signage
| Street name | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lane | Fort Street | Customs Street East |
| Jean Batten Place | Shortland Street | Fort Lane |
| O'Connell Street | Chancery Street | Shortland Street |
AT will evaluate the locations via:
- A study of road user behaviour at key intersections and mid-block locations which will be assessed for road user safety and amenity. Recording and description of any negotiations, avoidance or conflict between road users.
- Collation of any reported road user annoyances, conflicts or near misses.
- Expert route assessment for safety and usability.
- An audit of infrastructure conditions.
Next steps
The sign plates were installed in June/July 2016.
If successful, we will use this technique in other quiet one-way streets.