After receiving community design input, the Let’s Get Wellington Moving’s central city walking improvements project is now underway, making central city intersection safer, accessible, and more efficient.

Improvements have already been made on two intersections on Whitmore Street and further work will now begin on five intersections in Vivian Street from April 2022. This will be followed by improvements to seven intersections along the waterfront corridor in Jervois Quay, Customhouse and Waterloo Quay and on Bowen Street.

David Dunlop, Let’s Get Wellington Moving Acting Programme Director says that that specific crossings in Wellington’s central city needed to better cater for people of all ages and abilities, from the very elderly to the very young.

“We’ve sought input from a number of community groups to ensure we’re making meaningful changes to how people cross our roads. Our crossings need to consider best practice design standards as well as community input so that we can all feel safe when we cross them and get to our destinations quicker”.

“Providing better options for people who want to be able to walk, cycle or catch public transport is crucial before starting on the big projects planned for the city”.

“This includes safer walking areas, encouraging people to move more by foot around the central city. Research and overseas experience have proven that cities that are walkable are also more equitable”.

“Planning for the Let's Get Wellington Moving larger projects requires us to develop options for people to get around with easy connections. Making improvements on these intersections throughout the city helps to prioritise access for people using our footpaths, making it easier for people who choose to walk to get around the city. And it’s a healthier option as well,” says David Dunlop.

Improvements include the installation of new tactile pavers, which are yellow with raised surfaces to alert people who are blind or have low vision that they are nearing the footpath edge of the crossing.

There will also be improvements to traffic light phasing to prioritise people walking, while allowing for monitoring of impacts on all road users.

The intersections improvements will be staged throughout 2022, beginning in April at the following intersections:

• Vivian and Willis Streets
• Vivian and Victoria Streets
• Vivian and Cuba Streets
• Vivian and Taranaki Streets
• Vivian and Tory Streets
• Jervois Quay and Harris Street
• Jervois Quay and Willeston Street
• Jervois Quay and Hunter Street
• Customhouse Quay and Brandon Street
• Customhouse Quay and Johnston Street
• Customhouse Quay and Waring Taylor Street
• Waterloo Quay and Bunny Street
• Bowen Street and The Terrace

Construction will be subject to the Government’s Covid-19 Protection Framework and Let’s Get Wellington Moving partner, Wellington City Council will be managing the construction through its maintenance contractors.

More information about the Central City Walking Improvements project can be found here.

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