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Ian McKinnon Drive improvements

Background | Travelling by bus | Going by bike | Walking about | Driving through | How the area will look | Parking | Detailed Plans | Next steps

Background

Ian McKinnon Drive.
Ian McKinnon Drive flyover at night.
Photographer: Deborah Dewhirrst

Auckland City Council is committed to improving travel choices across the city, by providing for quicker and more reliable bus services, maximising road safety and encouraging more walking and cycling. We are seeking to deliver these transport options in a way that makes the city more attractive.

Ian McKinnon Drive has been identified as a road where transport choices could be improved for all users. We are proposing a number of changes around Ian McKinnon Drive and sections of New North Road, Upper Queen Street, Alex Evans Street and Dominion Road that will make the area safer and more attractive for all users.

Ian McKinnon Drive is a key arterial route and a core part of the regional public transport network. It also acts as an important link between the CBD and adjacent suburbs.

The proposed improvements would benefit all people using the area, more information along with detailed plans is available below:

Travelling by bus

Ian McKinnon Drive, along with Dominion Road and Upper Queen Street forms part of ARTA's Quality Transit Network and around 25 to 30 buses currently travel along sections of Ian McKinnon Drive during each peak period. Ian McKinnon Drive is therefore a key area for bus priority measures. 

It is proposed to introduce an afternoon peak bus lane between Horipoto Street and View Road to provide quicker access out of the CBD and connect with bus lanes operating on Dominion Road.

The proposed bus lane would operate Monday to Friday, between 4pm and 6pm, and no parking would be allowed within the bus lane during this time.

Going by bike

Ian McKinnon Drive, New North Road and Upper Queen Street form part of the regional cycle network. There is also a strong connection to the popular Northwestern cycleway via the Newton Road on-ramp. 

Hundreds of cyclists use the area each day, with approximately 730 cyclists per day using the Upper Queen Street and Karangahape Road intersection.

Improving access and safety for cyclists will benefit existing users, provide more travel choices and make cycling a more attractive option.

New cycle lanes are proposed on key sections of these roads, particularly in areas where cyclists may be more vulnerable, for example:

  • around the flyover where wide high-speed ramps can cause cyclists difficulty. 
  • near Upper Queen Street where the gradient is steep and traffic lanes are narrow.

Other proposed improvements include:

  • upgrading parts of the existing shared pedestrian and cycle path to provide a safer layout for all users
  • introducing cycle advance boxes at intersections that allow cyclists to wait ahead of traffic, making them more visible and increasing safety.

Walking about

Ian McKinnon Drive is a busy arterial road and convenient crossing points for pedestrians are limited. This creates a safety hazard for walkers and motorists, as pedestrians attempt to cross the road. The proposal includes substantially improved pedestrian facilities to make walking easier and safer in and around the area, including:

  • new pedestrian signals on Dominion Road near the busy shopping area by Charles Street
  • upgraded crossing points along Ian McKinnon Drive 
  • new sections of footpath in areas where footpaths are absent
  • footpath upgrades in sections where visibility and accessibility could be improved. 

Driving through

Around 20,000 vehicles a day use Ian McKinnon Drive, where the speed limit is 70kmh compared to 50kmh for surrounding roads.

The higher speed limit coupled with the historical design of the road means the area has a poor road safety record, with some locations having a significant crash history. In the last 5 years there have been 19 crashes at the intersection of New North Road and Porters Avenue and 9 crashes at the intersection of Ian McKinnon Drive and Piwakawaka Street

Proposed changes to improve road safety include:

  • Reducing the speed limit from 70kmh to 50kmh. This lower speed limit is more appropriate for a built up urban area where there are significant numbers of pedestrians and cyclists sharing the road.
  • Introducing new signalised intersections at Ian McKinnon Drive and Piwakawaka Street and New North Road and Porters Avenue.

The Road Safety team is working on signal designs for these intersections and this will be co-ordinated with the other project proposals. It is proposed that all current vehicle movements will be provided for, capacity will be maintained wherever possible and that specific pedestrian provision will be made, although the final designs will depend on an independent safety audit being completed.

How the area will look

Ian McKinnon Drive is in a highly built up area and acts as an important link between the CBD and adjacent suburbs. There is the opportunity to improve the way the area looks to make it more attractive for all users.  In addition, Ian McKinnon Drive has been identified as an important gateway to the Eden Park area and the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

An urban design concept plan has been developed that could be incorporated into the package of transport improvements for the area, including:

new landscaping around the flyover, both on the existing grassed areas and within the sealed traffic islands throughout the flyover. As well as improving the look and feel of the area, skilful landscaping can visually narrow the road corridor to help create an environment that encourages motorists to drive at a lower speed.

  • low level artwork to cover the columns on the flyover. As well as being visually appealing, this should reduce the risk of tagging.
  • feature lighting to improve the visual appeal of the flyover structure. A possible image of the proposals is shown below. Further work will be done to develop these concepts into actual designs if the proposal goes ahead.
Ian McKinnon Drive.
Possible design Ian McKinnon Drive flyover - Day
Ian McKinnon Drive.
Possible design Ian McKinnon Drive flyover - Night

Parking

As a consequence of providing a comprehensive package of improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers, the number of on street parking spaces would be reduced in some areas, including removing:

  • around ten spaces from the Upper Queen Street motorway overbridge
  • around  20 spaces from Alex Evans Street
  • around 15 spaces from on the southern part of the flyover
  • around 4 spaces around the Dominion Road and Charles Street intersection.

Detailed Plans

1. Karangahape Road to Canada Street (1,343kb PDF)
2. Canada Street to Ian McKinnon Drive (1,352kb PDF) (including Alex Evans Street)
3. Ian McKinnon Drive to Newton Road (1,221kb PDF)
4. Newtown Road to Haslett Street (1,345kb PDF)
5. Haslett Street to New North Road (1,362kb PDF)
6. New North Road to Tawari Street (1,317kb PDF)
7. Tawari Street to George Street (1,279kb PDF)
8. Dominion Road to Ruru Street (1,268kb PDF)
9. Ruru Street to Symonds Street (1,362kb PDF)

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Next steps

Consultation on this proposal closed on Friday, 9 November 2007.

Feedback will be compiled over the next few months and the results reported to the Eden Albert community board early next year. The feedback will be used to improve the project design and, if a decision is made to proceed, construction could start in mid-2008. Further details will be made available around the time of any decision.

If you have further questions please contact us

Updated November 2007