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Proposed Upgrade of Hobsonville Road
Background
Hobsonville Road has been the main vehicle thoroughfare between the western and northern regions of Auckland as part of the state highway network since the Upper Harbour Bridge has been in operation.
Once the SH18 extension opens Hobsonville Road will no longer be part of the state highway network managed by NZTA. Management of the road will pass to the Auckland Council and it will be categorised as a main arterial route. Waitakere City Council is in the process of planning to upgrade the road to ensure that it will better serve the local community and allow for increased residential growth and development in the area once this occurs.
The first stage of the proposed upgrade affects the area from Clark Road to Suncrest Avenue with work expected to commence sometime in mid-2011.
Some of the improvements that are proposed include:
- The installation of new traffic signals along Hobsonville Road at its intersections with the main roads
- New bus shelters, cycle lanes and footpaths
The proposed improvements are a key part of an important stage in the public/private development for the Hobsonville corridor that will improve safety at local arterial roads and will benefit residents through increased opportunities to access public transport along with support new housing and employment opportunities in the local area.
In late 2009 council issued a Notice of Hearing and engaged with local landowners directly affected by potential land acquisition. As a result of issues raised in the submission process, council has reviewed its plans and pursuant to Section 37 of the Resource Management Act 1991, extended the time period for the hearing of submissions in relation to this Notice of Requirement. This has allowed council to complete detailed designs to assist council and the local community to better understand the designation as it relates to the affected properties and to resolve issues around
car parking and access to Hobsonville Primary School.
Council is holding an Open Day on Saturday 21 August 2010 from
10am-2pm at the Wings Conference Centre, 327 Hobsonville Road, Hobsonville where they will share the preliminary design plans with the local community in order to explain the benefits, and outline the timing for when the proposed changes are planned to occur.
A hearing date for the Notice of Requirement has not yet been set. It is likely a hearing will be held in late September or early October 2010.
Some facts about the Hobsonville Corridor
Key Points about the proposed upgrade for Hobsonville Road
Key Facts about the Northern Strategic Growth Area (NorSGA) project
Key Points about the proposed upgrade for Hobsonville Road
- Current traffic volume along Hobsonville Road is 37,500 vehicles per day.
- When the State Highway 18 extension opens, the traffic volume along Hobsonville Road is expected to reduce to an average of 12,000 vehicles per day.
- After State Highway 18 is completed, Hobsonville Road will be vested to the Auckland Council by New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).
- At least seven new signalised intersections will be implemented at main roads intersecting with Hobsonville Road for the works proposed in the first two stages.
- The road layout along the majority of Hobsonville Road will be:
- One general vehicle lane on each side of the road
- One cycle lane on each side of the road
- Parallel parking on one side of the road
- Painted flush median at the centre of the road to assist with turning into side streets and properties.
- Where it is appropriate, new refuge islands will be installed between the signalised intersections to provide safe, alternative crossing points for pedestrians.
- Footpaths will be provided on both sides of Hobsonville Road.
- New bus shelters will provide improved facilities for public transportation.
- Detailed design works for the first two stages of improvements will be completed by the end of 2010.
- Physical works will be done in three stages*:
- the stretch between Suncrest Drive and Clark Road (expected to commence mid 2011/2012);
- the stretch between Westpark Drive and Suncrest Drive (expected to commence 2013/2014).
- the stretch between Oriel Avenue and Westpark Drive (expected to commence around 2015).
*NB: These dates are indicative only and subject to change.
Key Facts about the Northern Strategic Growth Area (NorSGA) project that Hobsonville forms part of
Transport improvements are needed in Auckland’s North West to support growth at new growth areas (including Westgate, Trig Village, Hobsonville industrial area, Hobsonville Village and Hobsonville Peninsula). Planning for the projected growth in the region has been underway for many years. The NorSGA project is intended to integrate land use and the provision of transport infrastructure to support predicted business and job growth and provide for a range of land uses along the Hobsonville Road corridor.
A lack of both local employment opportunities and investment in passenger transport has meant residents and employees in the area have generally relied on private cars. Particularly disadvantaged are older people, younger people, or those who cannot drive.
Over the next 20 years 5,000 new homes and 15,000 new jobs are forecast for the area.
This designation is part of a process that had its genesis in the early 2000's. Council began planning the NorSGA area once the new motorway designation was in place, with a view to creating Waitakere’s third town centre (Massey North), providing local jobs for local people (through the creation of industrial areas adjacent to the motorway), and providing housing opportunities on the decommissioned Hobsonville Airbase to help accommodate Waitakere’s population growth.
The new motorway will be completed in 12-18 months. This designation precedes the new motorway, but will hopefully ensure that the motorway and surrounding road network are not congested or unsafe because of existing road design that does not respond to the changed roading requirements.
The Hobsonville Road Corridor improvements project aims to achieve:
- Improved safety for all road users;
- Improved access along and across Hobsonville Road;
- Support new development and growth along the Hobsonville Road corridor;
- Provide bus priority appropriate for a Quality Transit Network route (fast and reliable trip times for a high level of bus services);
- Provide dedicated cycle facilities along Hobsonville Road;
- Increase capacity of intersections for vehicle movements to/from SH18.
Open Day - Proposed Upgrading of Hobsonville Road
When: 10am-2pm on Saturday 21 August 2010
Where: Wings Motor Lodge, 327 Hobsonville Road, Hobsonville
Come along and learn about the proposed upgrade for Hobsonville Road once the SH18 motorway extension opens
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Note: This information relates to the Council's proposed improvements to the Hobsonville Road corridor between Westpark Drive and Clark Road.
What is NorSGA?
NorSGA stands for the Northern Strategic Growth Area. Currently 14 percent of Auckland population lives in Waitakere and only 8 percent of the Auckland jobs are located in Waitakere. Therefore residents of Waitakere travel to work outside Waitakere City Council everyday. There is the need for more local jobs. The greenfield area located north of Hobsonville Road, south of the SH18 extension, and east of the existing SH16, known as NorSGA, has been identified as an area capable of accommodating local jobs for Waitakere.
A mix of development along the NorSGA corridor will include a new sub-regional town centre to next to the existing Westgate Centre and a town centre opposite the existing Hobsonville Shops. In between these two centres there will be new commercial and industrial development.
Can I make a submission on the proposed changes to Hobsonville Road?
The submission period closed in late 2009 however if you would like to make a comment about the proposed design works featured in the Open Day, a form is available at the Open Day for people to record their comments and either hand in or deliver to council by 31 August.
Is there a need for new signalised intersections?
Due to the proposed development on the northern side of Hobsonville Road, new roads will be built opposite the existing main roads. Signals will provide safe crossing for pedestrians and all other traffic movement.
When will the physical works on Hobsonville Road corridor improvements project begin?
Hobsonville Road is currently a State Highway controlled by New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). NZTA's consent is required for the physical works to ensure that traffic can continue to use the road at current levels of service.
The proposed time to start any physical works at Hobsonville Road is forecast to be:
- mid-2011-2012 for the stretch between Clark Road and Suncrest Drive;
- around 2013-2014 for the stretch between Suncrest Drive and Westpark Drive and
- from Westpark Drive to the motorway interchange; will be more than five years away.
NB: These dates are indicative only and subject to change
Why will the physical works be completed in many stages and not in one stage?
Most of the new improvements and upgrades along Hobsonville Road will be triggered or required only when the new development starts on the northern side of this road.
How will the new Auckland Council impact on NorSGA?
Auckland Transport will assume responsibility for the project from 1 November 2010.
The task of progressing the project will pass on to Auckland Transport and NorSGA has been identified as a major project, so it will be resourced as a priority.
What are the Plan Changes?
A series of Regional Plan Changes (6 and 7) and District Plan Changes (13, 14, 15, 16 and 18) were adopted in 2004 in order to move the Metropolitan Urban Limit and facilitate urbanisation in NorSGA. Current Hobsonville Road consultation relates to the area covered by Plan Change 14 (PC 14)
What will happen on the northern side of Hobsonville Road within the Plan Change 14 area?
A number of precincts have been identified in Plan Change 14. From east to west:
- Precinct D - the Hobsonville Domain. This precinct is an open space area intended to continue to provide recreational space.
- Precinct B - Hobsonville Town Centre. This precinct next to the Domain and located by the intersection of Wiseley Road, Clark Road and Hobsonville Road will become a Town Centre, comprising a mix of retail and residential provisions, as well as services for the population of the wider Hobsonville Corridor. There is also provision made for a supermarket.
- Precincts A and A2 - Hobsonville Employment Corridor. Provisions are made in these precincts for non residential activities such as manufacturing, offices and industry.
- Precinct C, Hobsonville School. Provisions are made to allow the future growth and development of the school to serve a larger population at Hobsonville.
What will development be like in terms of quality?
Quality expectations for the development fronting onto the northern side of Hobsonville Road are high. The District Plan Change 14, through frontage controls, imposes certain requirements for the development fronting onto the northern side of Hobsonville Road, including:
- a minimum height of two storeys
- high standard of architectural, urban design and landscape development
- minimised vehicle crossing points
Waitakere City Council has developed design guidelines
Industrial and Commercial building design guidelines for developers to help developers of employment land and promote good quality outcomes for the employment areas within NorSGA.
When will the development of Hobsonville corridor (PC14) happen?
Future development sites along Hobsonville corridor are at different stages, mainly dependent on the landowners / developers.
Before a new development can occur, it will be subject to two, and in places three, layers of statutory controls:
- Urban Concept Plans and District Plan Changes,
- Comprehensive Development Plans (only for precinct B, the future Town Centre area),
- Resource Consent Applications.
In precinct B:
- A Comprehensive Development Plan was recently lodged for a part of precinct B, located by the Domain, including a supermarket and shops along Hobsonville Road. Subsequent to this, earthwork, subdivision and building consents will need to be approved. Start of the construction can be expected to commence in 2011/12.
- There are no clear timeframes yet for development in the rest of the precinct.
In precinct A and A2:
- First earthworks for the small area of this employment area might start this summer season, depending on progress with the earthwork consents application.
- There are no clear timeframes yet for development in the rest of the precincts.
Outside Plan Change 14:
- First residential sites at Hobsonville Airbase are under construction
- Primary and Secondary schools at Hobsonville Airbase 2014
- Marine Industry at Hobsonville Airbase from 2013
- Westgate / Massey North Town Centre: a Comprehensive Development Plan and earthworks consents were lodged for part of the future Town Centre. Earthworks should start this summer season.
What is a Quality Transit Network (QTN)?
QTN involves a passenger transport system that provides fast, high frequency and high quality passenger transport services between key centres. This involves bus priority measures, modern bus shelters and information.
Why are cycle lanes required on Hobsonville Road?
Hobsonville Road has been identified as part of the Auckland Regional Cycle Network and is a key connector route. Hobsonville Road is a direct route for cyclists travelling between Westgate and the Hobsonville Peninsula development and east past the Upper Harbour Bridge.
NZTA also requires dedicated cycle infrastructure on Hobsonville Road because a cycleway is not being built alongside the new State Highway 18.
Although cycle numbers on Hobsonville Road have been increasing over the past three years, dedicated cycle facilities are required to encourage even more people to cycle in and around Hobsonville and beyond. The proposed cycle lanes would provide a safer environment for cyclists.
Council's budgeted programme for cycleways aims to provide safer routes and connectivity to educational facilities, town centres, transport hubs, employment centres and community facilities. These routes will contribute to the Auckland Regional Transport Strategy's target of walking and cycling comprising 35 percent of total trips in urban areas by 2040.
Will Hobsonville Road still be an over dimensional route?
Yes, it will continue to operate on that basis.
Are there going to be bus lanes along Hobsonville Road?
There are no plans for this at this time however new bus shelters and bus stops form part of the proposed upgrade.
Why are you taking land from some property owners?
In most instances this proposed to allow for safer and smoother turning opportunities at some intersections, or at the Hobsonville Village Centre (between Clark Road and Brigham Creek Road intersections) to provide four traffic lanes and kerbside parking on both sides of the road. The majority of the land proposed for this use is non-residential.
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