Thursday, March 28, 2024

$90m for Brougham Street upgrade

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is seeking feedback on its plans to upgrade busy Brougham Street in Christchurch.

$90 million in funding from the NZ Upgrade Programme Canterbury package will be used by Waka Kotahi to improve Brougham St (SH76).

“We have a fantastic opportunity to upgrade this busy road, to improve safety, support more transport choices and make it a more reliable freight route to the Port of Lyttelton,” says Director Regional Relationships for Waka Kotahi, James Caygill.

“The changes we’re proposing are relatively simple but they will be effective. They will make use of the existing road space to provide more reliable travel times at peak hours, encourage people to walk or bike on a new, safe shared path and build a pedestrian overbridge to get across Brougham Street, between Collins and Simeon Streets.”

Key changes Waka Kotahi is proposing include:

  • Using the existing road space to create ‘T2’ lanes, to operate at peak times, with parking available in this lane outside of peak times.
  • An overbridge for pedestrians or people biking or scooting between Collins and Simeon Street.
  • A shared path along the south side of the road from Simeon Street to Opawa Road, joining up with existing paths like the Little River Link Major Cycle Route.
  • New plantings and trees, more than doubling the number of existing trees, to safely separate the shared path from the road.
  • Intersections will be upgraded right along Brougham Street. Traffic signals will be improved, turning arrows added and turning restrictions installed at some places to make it safer to get on and off Brougham Street. The traffic lights at Selwyn Street will allow priority for buses heading to the city centre.
  • Montreal St will get traffic signals to provide a better connection to the one-way system in the city, as well as adding safe crossing points for pedestrians.
  • Some smaller side streets will be closed with new cul-de-sacs to reduce short-cutting and support quieter, safer neighbourhoods.
  • The traffic lights at Colombo Street intersection will also help to prioritise buses, in preparation for future bus improvements.
  • The Gasson and Burlington Street intersection will have improved crossing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as turning restrictions to reduce the number of cars crossing the shared path.
  • A new signalised pedestrian crossing will be added near Wilsons Road.
  • Opawa Road intersection will be upgraded, with ‘hook turn boxes’ to help create a safe space for cyclists to turn in traffic.

See a full list of the proposed changes

“Local people have helped shape this plan, but we’d like to check in one more time before we move to final design and construction,” says Mr Caygill.  

People can give their feedback until 28 January by sharing their thoughts online on an interactive map, by filling out a feedback form, or by emailing bm@nzta.govt.nz.

Drop-in sessions where people can learn more about what is proposed are being held on:

  • Thursday 2 December from 3.30 to 6.30pm at Addington School, 22 Brougham Street.
  • Tuesday 7 December from 3.30 to 6.30pm at Addington Seventh Day Adventist Church Hall, 61 Brougham Street.
  • An online Zoom session is also being held on Wednesday 8 December from 6 to 7pm.  Register for the session at nzta.govt.nz/brougham.

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