Knights Road Connection Project

Thanks for your feedback and queries. We’re sorry to hear about this incident, and we acknowledge your comment about driver inattention.  There is ample space in the median strip for drivers to avoid colliding with a slowing or stationery vehicle, and the width of the north lane meets regulations. The amended trial layout returns the north lane to how it was before the trials began, meaning that cyclists and vehicles share the space. We are trialling a separated pathway on the south side. You can find out more about the amended layout here

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the suggestion.  Partially yes, narrowing the median strip this was actually part of the first option discussed.  The design below came from previous consultation and engagement, and so the preferred option from that was the starting point for our engagement in 2020 (image below). 

We are limited by the conditions of the funding to trialling temporary changes, essentially the surface of the road and above. We do have a limited ability to remove some concrete if it were to be preventing something being tested that was the consensus - e.g. a small island - but major concreting and earthworks are not possible within this project. The idea is to use these quicker and cheaper methods first to test solutions so that we can adapt in response to feedback.

Removing the median  strip was a very hot topic during the first round of workshops in 2020 with a mix of residents and users who were for and against.  

Once we collated all feedback from the workshops and other engagement channels it became clear that absorbing the median strip for this trial was not the preferred option for the people that we heard from, however narrowing it slightly to accommodate the new cycle lanes has been incorporated in to the current trial.  Residents mostly felt that the median strip was of critical importance to turning into and out of driveways, and to movements out of side roads. That's where the current layout being trialled came from.  Speed, pedestrian safety on footpaths and a desire to have faster moving micromobility modes like e-scooters and bikes, away from pedestrians also came through strongly.  From parents, and less confident riders, we heard that "paint was not protection" and there needed to be more of a visual cue separating the vehicle traffic from these users for them to use any such lane.

But the purpose of the trial is to test the ideas, and to amend based on feedback to find a safer layout.  If the consensus is, as you suggest, to reduce the median then that could be the format for an amendment to the trial.

Please do make sure to give your feedback in the survey here - and we'd love to see you at the workshops.

Thanks for your question.

The measurable outcomes we want to see along Knights Road as a result of this trial are increased use of public and active transport, improved perceptions of safety, attractiveness and walkability, and reduced private vehicle traffic.

•  The perception of the safety and attractiveness of active modes along Knights Rd has improved
• The perception of safety outside of Waterloo Station has improved
• Vehicles are moving more slowly, especially at the corner where Oxford Terrace becomes Knights Rd
• More people are using active modes of transport down Knights Rd, particularly to get to the schools and businesses
• More people are walking
• This change in active transport is in new people using these modes, and existing people using these modes more often

These changes have not come at the cost of significantly reducing the functionality and safety of the road for current uses e.g.

• largely increased journey times down Knights Rd
• untenable turning movements in and out of side roads
• untenable meetings in and out of driveways
• Buses are still able to work efficiently
• Rubbish and recycling collection is still able to take place

Throughout the trial period we will be monitoring and collecting data and feedback. Feedback will be collected through a variety of means including online surveys, hard copy surveys, face to face, social media, interviews, audits and video capture.

We encourage you to share your feedback in the online survey or at one of the face to face opportunities.

Thanks

Thanks for your feedback. 

The trial only includes elements that can be safely trialled in a temporary way. Unfortunately changing the surface of the road is not something we were able to include in this part of the project. Your feedback on the road surface will be added and considered for future opportunities. 

We encourage you to share detailed feedback in an online survey or through one of the face to face opportunities.

Thanks

Thanks for your feedback. The current layout is being tested during a five week trial. Data, monitoring and feedback during the trial will help inform what might happen next. The options include adapting, extending further along Knights Road or removing elements.

We have a variety of ways to capture detailed feedback and would encourage you to complete an online survey and/or attend one of the face to face opportunities to share your views.

Thanks

Thanks for your question. You're correct that both quantitative data and qualitative feedback will be used to inform decision making. 

The measurable outcomes we want to see along Knights Road as a result of this trial are increased use of public and active transport, improved perceptions of safety, attractiveness and walkability, and reduced private vehicle traffic.

•  The perception of the safety and attractiveness of active modes along Knights Rd has improved
• The perception of safety outside of Waterloo Station has improved
• Vehicles are moving more slowly, especially at the corner where Oxford Terrace becomes Knights Rd
• More people are using active modes of transport down Knights Rd, particularly to get to the schools and businesses
• More people are walking
• This change in active transport is in new people using these modes, and existing people using these modes more often

These changes have not come at the cost of significantly reducing the functionality and safety of the road for current uses e.g.

• largely increased journey times down Knights Rd
• untenable turning movements in and out of side roads
• untenable meetings in and out of driveways
• Buses are still able to work efficiently
• Rubbish and recycling collection is still able to take place

We have collected a wide range of data including:

• usage data of people on bikes, cars, buses and pedestrians 
• speed and journey time data
• crash data
• drone footage of traffic patterns
• used/vacant park data at both Waterloo Station and along the trial area
• school journey data

The qualitative data that has already informed the project to date includes:

• User feedback from public workshops and residents, and meetings with residents,  school students, bus drivers and rubbish/recycling operators
• Hutt Intermediate Walking Audit feedback
• Feedback from discussions with business owners
• Photos sent in by surveys
• User experience biking (video) and scootering (video and audit)
• User experience wheelchair/mobility scooter)
• User experience bus driver
• User experience - driving
• Walking audit – general public and schools

Throughout the trial period we will be monitoring and collecting data and feedback. Feedback will be collected through a variety of means including online surveys, hard copy surveys, face to face, social media, interviews, audits and video capture.

Thanks

Thanks for the question.

This project is one of several pilot projects funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency with the intent of trialling layout changes in an iterative way in order to be able to work with community to find the best solution. It's a part of the Innovating Streets programme.  

The big goal this project is intended to work towards is that, at a national level, New Zealand has a goal of 40% mode shift towards active transport and public transport by 2030.  This is to reduce congestion, help to meet climate targets and improve health.  It's a big shift in a short time, and so this iterative way of working allows solutions to be tested in the real world by all affected road users while change can still be made.  

The aim is that more people feel comfortable using non-motorised modes of transport (bikes, scooters, e-scooters etc) for some of their shorter, regular journeys, or for the last kilometre after public transport.  For this to happen, there needs to be a safe, convenient and connected network available that goes to the places people need to move.  Safety, and perceptions of safety, are one of the major barriers to people using these modes.

Locally, in Lower Hutt and across Wellington there is a lot of investment in shared paths and off-road cycleways, such as the Wainuiomata Shared Pathway, the new Beltway route under construction, the increasingly popular Hutt River Trail and the Melling to Ngauranga cycleway.  These types of facilities are generally seen as safe, and allow travel between local suburbs and close to public transport.  What is missing is connections between them at key points, and from them into the places people want to go - schools, shopping areas, workplaces etc.

Knights Road is the connecting road between the public transport hubs at Waterloo Station and at Queensgate. It is also the link between the new Beltway route and Lower Hutt's CBD. There are six local schools adjacent to it, and congestion at pick up and drop off times is an issue for all of them.  

We have previously measured speeds along Knights Road, and between July and December 2020 remeasured speeds, took video, did surveys, workshops and walking audits asking about people's perceptions of safety.  Knights Road was not seen as a safe road for children or less confident riders to be on.  People felt there needed to be a visual barrier to help separate them from moving traffic, that paint was not protection.  That is why the two types of delineator currently in place are being trialled.  It allows a direct comparison of each type for all road users, and tests this idea.

Speed, especially at the intersection in Waterloo Station, was seen as a problem for all modes of transport.  When measured, the data showed that this perception was accurate. Another reason was that people on the footpaths, especially older users or those with disabilities, felt unsafe with scooters, e-scooters and bikes sharing that space.

So the purpose of the trials are to work with road users to find a safer layout for all modes of transport.  Children on bikes, people on e-scooters and people walking on the footpath should feel safe using those modes along this key connection, so that there is transport choice.

From this Friday, now that the first trial is fully installed with the exception of some minor tweaks, there will be a series of polls, surveys, feedback forms and workshops to find out what is working and what isn't, and to collect ideas for solutions (within the temporary scope of the trial). It's a unique opportunity to test ideas together, to find a better permanent solution.  

Thanks for the suggestion, it’s a great idea and one that we’d definitely like to put in the mix of feedback to amend the current trial layout in the next phase.

It won’t be possible to action for this first 5 week trial because the final pieces were installed today, which are the two different types of delineator you’ll notice on each side of the road.  

These are being trialled in response to feedback we received both from residents, pedestrians, parents and primary and intermediate aged students.  Their purpose of these is to help provide a physical separation (to the extent possible around driveways) between people riding bikes or e-scooters on the new path and moving cars and trucks.  The intent is that they will help less confident people to use this instead of the footpath, where people using bikes and scooters make older pedestrians and those with disabilities in particular uncomfortable about their own safety.  We’ll be asking how users find these, and for feedback about the two types of delineator. The ‘waves’ on the south side has not been used in New Zealand in this context before, so we’re very interested as to whether it is something people enjoy and that works well compared to the more standard option on the north.

The end goal is to have a safe connection for all modes between the cycleways and shared paths into the CBD and places people work and want to visit, as well as between public transport hubs.  This  temporary trial doesn’t achieve that as yet  - it’s a test of the new layout that will be amended based on feedback and on data collecting and monitoring over the trial.

Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it.   From next week there will be some more formal ways to let us know what you think about the various parts to the new layout, and we welcome all ideas and suggestions here.

Thanks for your feedback, the start point for the new micro-mobility lane was positioned in the current place for a few reasons.

·       It is far enough away from the corner of Pohutukawa Street to provide a buffer for people on bikes from cars coming around the corner

·       It creates more space for people to come in and out of the dairy safely

Three parks just before the Two Ten Dairy have been retained and changed to be P10 to cater for people that drive and park to get to the dairy. We are in close contact with the dairy owner to monitor any impacts on his business and will continue to stay in contact as the new layout is fully installed.

One of the benefits of holding a temporary trials is to see how people use the layout in real-time. This gives us the ability to monitor and then  adapt and change if needed.

While the works are still being completed and once the trial starts we would encourage you to keep supporting local!

Great question! The trial layout being tested has been designed in collaboration with Knights Road residents and other stakeholders.  Residents who accepted our invitation to attend workshops, worked in groups to share what was most important to them and what this might mean for the road design. This information was used to inform the layout that is now being trialed for 5 weeks.  Our team has carried out face to face meetings with the businesses we were aware of (?) in and around Knights Rd.  To keep up the communication, we carried out a number of letter drops on and around Knights Rd letting people know about the trials and how to get involved and/or provide feedback.  In December we spent another day engaging with Knights Road users face to face and have had signage in the Birch Street Park.

With your background of service design we would welcome your participation in the contributing to the upcoming engagement activities, helping to ensure all the people directly affected are reached.

Now is a great time to get involved to help shape any further trials.