FAQs

What is the Urban Cycleways Fund (UCF) and how is W2HV Link being funded?Consultation report

In 2014Money for this fund is available to projects for which construction will be completed within the Government announced fundingnext three years. We still need to confirm a preferred option for the southern (NgaurangaPetone to Wellington CBD)Ngauranga Section and northern (Petone to Melling) sections as part of the Urban Cycleways Programme (UCP).  $9m was made available towardsthen have it consented before construction of these sections.

The UCF will fund cycling facilities in Wellington City and Hutt City as well ascould begin. As a result the route between Petone and Melling as part of the W2HV Link. Funding for the middle section fromto Ngauranga to PetoneSection falls outside the UCF becausecurrent Urban Cycleway Programme timing.  We will be working hard to get the project ready for construction period is outsideas soon as possible.  

When is the Petone to Ngauranga section likely to be constructed?

We currently expect construction on the timeframe. Instead itproject could begin in 2018/19 or sooner if possible.

When is construction likely to commence on the Melling to Petone Section, and the Wellington City sections?

Construction for these sections is anticipated to begin in early 2016 and is expected to be completed in 2018.

Why is the cycleway longer than the original length, ie Melling to Hutt Road?

We had always considered how the project connected through to the wider transport network, including local road and state highway connections. The project has been considering these connections as it completed its work to identify a preferred option to ensure that proposals were future-proofed. This means the extent of the project has extended.

Will there be consultation on options for the sections between Petone and Melling, and Ngauranga and Bunny Street?

We’re refining our proposals for these sections and more information will be available soon about the particular improvements that will be funded for construction as the first stages of the Wellington to Hutt Valley Walking and Cycling Link.

When will a decision be funded throughmade about the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) with contributions from Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council and Hutt City Council.

Will cyclists use the new walking and cycling link or are they more likelyPetone to continue using the shoulder of the road on State Highway 2?Ngauranga section?

Feedback indicates that most cyclists will use the new facility, although some experienced/competitive cyclists may chooseWe expect to ride alongmake an announcement about our preferred option (either a roadside or seaside option) before the shoulderend of the highway.year.

Can more confident/competitive cyclists still chooseWhat is the Wellington to ride on the highway?Hutt Valley Walking and Cycling Link?

This is a project to investigate options to deliver a safe and efficient route for cyclists between Ngauranga and Petone along State Highway 2’s designation as a highway allows for people2. The Walking and Cycling Link aims to cycle alongsideclose the road. However we’ll encouragegap of the existing cycleway along SH2, support existing cyclists and encourage more people to usetravel by bike between the new walkingHutt Valley and cycling link.Wellington.

How does the W2HV Link fit with the national cycling policy?

The W2HV LinkTransport Agency is partworking in partnership with Wellington City and Hutt City councils on this project, to ensure that the cycleway effectively and efficiently connects with other cycling facilities at either end of a $300m nationwide investment over three years by the Governmentproposed highway facility, including along Petone Esplanade and its partners into urban cycleways. The Wellingtonthrough to Hutt Valley Link is one of the Government’s top 10 urban cycling investments.Railway Station and along Hutt Road in Wellington.

How does the project connect with the Petone to Grenada (P2G) link road?

The two projects connect geographically at the Petone interchange. The project teams are sharing information and considering how the W2HV Link proposals will fit with P2G.  There are some benefits in aligning construction of the two projects. One clear benefit is that excess soil and rock from constructing the P2G link road could be used to reclaim shoreline needed to construct the W2HV Link. If we decide to combine them, more work will need to be done regarding funding and joint construction.

The path is needed to close the gap of the existing path along SH2, improve the current facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and encourage more people to walk, run or cycle between the Hutt Valley and Wellington particularly for commuting.

How does this relate to the walking and cycling link support the Great Harbour Way?Petone to Ngauranga Cycleway?

The W2HV Link supportsThis is the vision ofname that the Great Harbour Way, which isproject has been listed under previously.  It was renamed to createbetter reflect that the project will provide a continuous walkingfacility that can be used for both pedestrians and cycling route aroundcyclists and that covers the connections between Wellington Harbour.and Lower Hutt, not just Petone to Ngauranga.

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Ngauranga to Petone section

What are the key elementsobjectives of the preferred option for the Ngauranga to Petone section?Walking and Cycling Link?

Key features include:The objectives are to:

• a newimprove walking and cycling bridge just north of the Ngauranga interchange that links the existing shared path on State Highway 2 to the new seaward side shared pathsafety between NgaurangaLower Hutt and Wellington, particularly between Petone and Ngauranga
• provide a wide shared path on the seaward sidefacility that generates more use of the railway line from NgaurangaLower Hutt to Petone that has additional build-outs to provide rest areas at regular intervalsWellington transport corridor by pedestrians and cyclists, regardless of ability
• separate pedestrians and cyclists from highway traffic between Petone and Ngauranga
• the overall width of the platformimprove resilience by providing a walking and cycling facility with better safety standards and capacity, and seawall will vary based on the nature of the coastline along the route
• potential further widening at three locations to facilitate straightening the railway tracks which will enable faster train journeys
• links to the existing path just south of the Petone interchange, which will be rebuilt as part of the Petone to Grenada link road
• connection to Petone train station via a new underpass from the Hutt Road at Petone, just south of the train station.
• manage the impacts of the project on the communities by choosing options that avoid, remedy or mitigate impacts.

What is being proposed to ‘close the gap’ of the existing path along SH2?

We have considered a number of different options, but two are now being considered in further depth – one is an upgraded roadside option, the other is a new seaward side path.

More information on the two options can be seen in our newsletters or by reviewing the maps.

Why did the NZ Transport Agency selectare both options proposing a seaward side option for the path?width of 3.0m?

In November 2015 the NZ Transport AgencyThe proposed 3-metre width is in line with Austroads Guidance which stipulates that a shared (walking and key stakeholders for the Wellington to Hutt Valley Walkingcycling) commuter path can be between 2.0 metres and Cycling Link confirmed a preferred seaward option3.5 metres. This is adequate for the section between Ngaurangatwo-way movements of cyclists and Petone.pedestrians.

Option 1 (roadside) would be 3.0m in width with a few narrower sections of 2.5m. Option 2 (seaside) would be 3.0m along the whole length of the path between Ngauranga and Petone. 

What are the estimated costs of the two options?

The seawardWe expect option selection was based on consultation outcomes1 to cost between $12 and feedback from stakeholders, user groups, iwi representatives, community groups$16 million and the general public during 2014 and 2015. It was also based on an assessment of the wider benefits this option can provide, including safety, look and feel, and resilience for both the highway and the rail corridor2 to cost between Wellington$36 and the Hutt Valley.$48 million.

When options were publicly discussed in 2014 and 2015, the majority of public feedback supported a seaward option. Most people who preferred a roadside alternative did so only because it could be built sooner. View questions and answers about the consultation and the consultation report here.

What decision making criteria will be used to choose a preferred option?

How to fund the options and the cost differences between the two will be key decision-making criteria.  Option 1 costs less and would be a similar amount to what has previously been anticipated. This means there is money earmarked for the cost of this option, subject to it being approved for funding. 

Option 2 is more expensive, but we and the project’s partners (including Wellington City Council, Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and KiwiRail), acknowledge the Walking and Cycling Link has wider benefits for the region, such as improving the transport network’s resilience. The cost of this option could be reduced if excess soil and rock to be taken from the nearby hillsides for construction of the Link Road is used, but additional funding beyond what is already earmarked would be required. 

If this becomes the preferred option, we will need to consider with our partners where the additional funds will come from. We will also need to consider when this option could be built if it’s aligned with the Petone to Grenada Link Road as its construction is currently scheduled for 2019.

WhatWhy are the advantages ofyou proposing a seaward side option?shared path and not separate facilities for cyclists and pedestrians?

Roadside shared path options were considered between the road and the rail along SH2 and options that cut into the hillside. Compared to a seaward path, these options would not provide the same safety benefits or look and feel. The seaside option has the added benefit of providing a more resilient corridor for all transport users by providing a stronger seawall that is able to withstand the impacts of severe weather and can be adapted to address sea level rise.

We believe that cyclists and pedestrians do not need to be separated from one another because the current and predicted volumes of cyclists and pedestrians do not warrant it.

Why does the seaward sideseaside option end at the Ngauranga interchange?Interchange?

A seaward sideseaside path past the Ngauranga interchangeInterchange was considered as part of a long list of options. This wasn’t feasible due to:option was not considered viable because of a number of issues, including:

• the lack of an obvious route and safety concerns around cyclists and pedestrians passing the ferry terminalterminal,
• linking the route does not link to residential and employment areas is problematic when compared to theas effectively as Hutt Road does,
• prohibitive costs.

Will it be challenging to get consent for a seaward side path?Are both options separated from motor vehicles?

Our consent documents will outline the ways we intend to minimise adverse effects on the environment from the construction and operation of the seaward path.

We’re looking for further support to make sure that our consent applications are successful, and welcome your comments or concepts on how to mitigate any adverse effects. It’s important to have public input before and during the consent process.

How will you manage the environmental effects of coastal reclamation?

Much of the marine environmentBoth options would provide a dedicated and fully segregated shared path away from motorised vehicle traffic along the foreshore fromSH2 between Ngauranga toand Petone is already highly modified asInterchanges. For option 1 (roadside) we are proposing a result of previous reclamation, withwire rope barrier between the shoreline mostly constructed of concrete wallsSH2 traffic lanes and imported rock armouring.

Identifying and assessing mitigation measures is a key part of preparing consent applications. We’re working closely with iwi, ecologists, coastal experts, NIWA, urban designers, civil engineers and the planning team to develop an inspiring coastal pathway design and user experience. This work involves looking at how to incorporate new native planting while restoring the coastal habitat for seabirds. We’re also looking at how to design a seawall constructed of natural rock that will be resilient to major storm events and adaptable to future sea level rise.

Why didn’t you propose separate facilities for cyclists and pedestrians?

The numbers of cyclists and pedestrians we expect to use the facility doesn’t indicate a need for separate paths. We believe the new path will be wide enough for cyclists and pedestrians to safely share the facility .

Selecting a shared path also balances the needs of path users with the need to minimise the impacts on the coastal marine environment which would be greater with the wider reclamation that would be needed for separate facilities.

How will the path be separated from the rail corridor?

A dedicated and fully segregated shared path will be provided away from motorised vehicle traffic along State Highway 2 between the Ngauranga and Petone interchanges. We propose a diamond mesh fence between the rail corridor and the shared path, similar to the type of fence used in the 2016 upgrade of the path near the Ngauranga underpass.  There will be enough clearance between the shared path and fence to prevent safety issues with bike handle bars.

Will the path remain open during adverse weather?

We will design the path to minimise sea spray and, where possible, to withstand environmental effects. However, the path is close to the sea which means it could be closed during high winds or severe weather.

How will you address pedestrian and cyclists’ safety concerns along State Highway 2 until the new path is available?

We will continue to monitor the existing path between Horokiwi and Ngauranga to safeguard cyclists until an off-road shared path where space is available.

What will be done with the existing off-road cycle path between Horokiwi and Ngauranga?

This is yet to be determined, and will be considered as part of the whole corridor approach, looking at the needs of all users.

Where does the Ngauranga to Petone cycleway stoplimited and the Petone to Melling cycleway start? Is there a seamless link?

The Ngauranga to Petone section has a different schedulesolid median barrier in wider sections. We are still looking at barrier options for completion but is being designed to link seamlessly withoption 2 (seaside) between the Petone to Melling section. The paths will physically connect where the Petone rail underpass meets the existing Hutt Road path at the Petone interchange.

What are the next steps for the Ngauranga to Petone section?

We have more work to do on the concept design to confirm how much foreshore to reclaim, the shape of the seawall, rest areas and the bridge. We also need to consider mitigation requirements based on the width of the reclamation platform. We plan to bring you further information and get your input in late 2017. This round of consultation will help us prepare our resource consent applications.

Do you plan to have further public consultation on this project, if so when?

We plan to engage with stakeholders, local communities and the wider public to get feedback on the design and mitigation elements of the Ngauranga to Petone section in late 2017.harbour, including a seawall, rock wall (known as rip rap) or a handrail.

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Petone to Melling section

What are the key features of the Petone to Melling section?

The Petone to Melling section will provide an off-road cycle path along the rail corridor. There will be links to shared paths from Hutt Road to the Petone railway station and at the northern end of the cycle path to the existing Hutt river Trail. Key elements include:

• the Petone rail underpass
• the route through the Petone railway station car park
• the cycleway along the rail corridor and southbound bypass connection off SH2 at the Dowse interchange
• connecting the Parliament Street rail underpass to the Hutt River Trail.

What are the next steps for the Petone to Melling section?

After taking on-board public feedback, we anticipate that we will lodge any needed consents and begin construction at the end of 2017. Given it is important to connect at the southern end to the Ngauranga to Petone section and work with any revised Petone interchange requirements from the Petone to Grenada link road, we intend to start construction from the northern (Normandale) end.

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Q&As from 2014/2015 public engagement

• View frequently asked questions about the consultation.
• View frequently asked questions about the consultation report.

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For both options, we are proposing a diamond mesh fence between the railway track and shared path, similar to the type of fence used closer towards the Ngauranga side of the existing path. 
Both options will have enough clearance between the shared path and barrier to prevent any safety issues with bike handle bars. 

Is anything planned to address cycling along Hutt Road in Wellington?

We are considering a number of options to improve travel for cyclists along Hutt Road as part of the work we are doing for the Walking and Cycling Link. Improvements would be designed to improve safety and may include removing obstructions (ie lamp posts, manhole covers), changing or removing (where possible) parking from beside the footpath and improved markings and signage.

How does the project connect with the Petone to Grenada Link Road?

The two projects connect geographically at Petone Interchange so the two teams working on each project have been sharing information to consider how the Walking and Cycling Link proposals would fit with proposed changes for the Petone to Grenada Link Road.  Through this work, we have seen that there could be some benefit in aligning the construction of the Walking and Cycling Link with construction of the Petone to Grenada Link Road. One particular benefit is that excess soil and rock taken from the hillside to construct the Link Road could be used for the construction of the Walking and Cycling Link where we need to reclaim the shoreline. If we decide to combine them, more work will need to be done regarding funding and joint construction.

When will you decide on a preferred option?

We expect to decide on a preferred option in the next two to three months.  Once this has happened we will work towards applying for consent for our preferred option in 2016.