Summerhill Drive cycleway and safety improvements

Image shows aerial view of Summerhill Drive.

We are making Summerhill Drive safer for all road users – whether you walk, bike, catch the bus or drive.

We’ve recently received 100 percent funding from Waka Kotahi – New Zealand Transport Agency to complete the cycleway between Tennent Drive and Pacific Drive, connecting Summerhill and Aokautere with Fitzherbert Bridge and the Manawatū River Pathway.

This stretch is dangerous, so our design focuses on improving safety for all road users by providing a protection barrier on the cycleway.

Transport Choices funding announcement (Nov 2023)

We’d like to inform you of some important developments regarding the Featherston Street and Summerhill Drive/SH57 cycleway and pedestrian safety upgrades, which are being funded through the Transport Choices programme from Waka Kotahi - NZ Transport Agency.

These projects are integral to our commitment to providing safer and more accessible transport options for everyone in our city, and they are top priorities in our Urban Cycle Network Masterplan.

Waka Kotahi recently informed Councils it is putting a hold on the funding for its Transport Choices programme until the new transport minister takes office.

This programme formed part of the previous Government’s Climate Emergency Response Fund supporting transport projects which help reduce carbon emissions.

Our Council has three projects which are funded by the Transport Choices programme:

  • Cycleway and pedestrian safety upgrades on Summerhill Drive/SH57
  • Cycleway and pedestrian safety upgrades on two sections of Featherston Street between Botanical Road to Aroha Street and North to Ruahine Streets
  • Construction of new bus stops and shelters throughout the city.

Cycleway construction proceeding between Palmerston North Boys High School and Central Normal School

We have separate funding through Waka Kotahi’s Streets for People programme for cycleway and pedestrian improvements on Featherston Street between Aroha Street and North Street – which includes the area around Central Normal, Palmerston North Boys’ High, McDonald’s, Countdown and the Rangitikei intersection.

This work is not impacted by the current hold on Transport Choices funding and will proceed this summer as planned. This includes a separated cycleway, two raised pedestrian crossings at the schools and some minor changes to the Rangitikei intersection.

We’ve met with Waka Kotahi to get more clarity about the decision and next steps

These cycleway projects have seen thousands of hours of staff and community time as we’ve worked on designing the street together. We have asked that when a Minister is appointed, we get the go-ahead to proceed with construction with urgency. Part of our planning for these projects was to time construction over summer when our roads are less busy and school holidays are occurring.

If funding proceeds, the change in construction timeframe will see more disruption to our residents' journeys as our roads are busier later in autumn/winter with the significant traffic management that will be required.

We’ll provide another update when we receive news from Waka Kotahi

We have successfully completed the design phases for the cycleway improvements on Featherston Street and Summerhill Drive. We met all the milestones required by Waka Kotahi during this period, ensuring our projects are ready for construction when funding becomes available.

If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at cycleways@pncc.govt.nz.

We appreciate your understanding and remain committed to creating a safer transport network for everyone in our community.

 

We're designing a separated cycleway on both sides of the street

These designs are still subject to final approval by our elected members.

Coffee in Box/Landscape Yard area

  • Retaining an indented parking space here, with the cycleway running behind. There will be slightly more parking space here.
  • There is a small protection space between passenger doors and the cycle lane to avoid conflict with opening doors.
  • No changes to the courtesy or pedestrian crossings on Summerhill Drive.
  • Bus stop near the paddock is retained.

Summerhill Shopping Centre

Artist's impression of view from Pacific Drive, looking towards Ruapehu Drive and the Summerhill Shopping Centre.

Pedestrian crossing

  • Adding pavers to improve access from the crossing to the footpaths on both sides.
  • Kerb lines are being shortened on both sides – and the middle island is getting bigger – making the total crossing distance smaller.

Removal of left turn lane

  • Vehicle lanes will be narrower
  • Left turn lane into the shopping centre will be removed, so cyclists are not exposed to turning traffic for a long distance without a physical barrier.
  • This will lower vehicle speeds on the State Highway as turning into the facility will be much tighter.
  • Waka Kotahi asked for these design changes to lower speeds in the area after the key themes from public consultation were raised with them.
  • Delivery trucks will still be able to access the centre using both the State Highway and Ruapehu Drive entrances

Elected members voted to proceed with a separated uni-directional cycleway (or one-way cycleway)

This is the option where bike riders travel in the same direction as vehicles, and is the most intuitive for all road users. It is also considered 3 times safer than the alternative option and is New Zealand and international best practice. It’s also what is primarily already in place on Summerhill Drive already, but without a separator.

Artist's impression of how the cycleway will look as cyclists travel up the hill on Summerhill Drive

Elected members and officers are now committed to working with stakeholders during the detailed design phase to work through finer details of the design.

We’re also working on changes to Featherston Street and will be determining what separators are best for both streets. All separators will factor in safety and the ability to service rubbish and recycling, and emergency services.

Officers will continue to work closely with Waka Kotahi – NZ Transport Agency on speed limits and pedestrian crossings on the State Highway section that is controlled by them outside the Summerhill shopping centre.

The final design will be brought back to elected members at a Council meeting later in the year for approval and tender award.

You can read the full agenda of the 28 June Council meeting, or watch the meeting on our YouTube channel.

Your feedback is helping us with the design

We received your feedback in early-2023 about how the street works, what needed improving and the type of cycleway you wanted to see. Thanks to your feedback, we will have a design that best suits most peoples’ needs.

Our team are now working on the detailed designs and construction is expected to take place in early-2024.

Read the Summerhill/Aokautere Drive Engagement Summary March/April 2023(PDF, 1005KB) 

For more information

This work will encourage more people to choose to walk, bike or catch a bus to get around town. It supports our goals to be an innovative and growing city, and a creative and exciting city. You can find more detailed information about how we plan to achieve this in our Urban Cycle Network Masterplan, Active Communities and Transport Plans.

Location

Summerhill Drive, Fitzherbert 4410  View Map

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