Artist’s impression of the shared cycling and pedestrian path along State Highway 2 between Wellington and the Hutt Valley.

Improvements on State Highway 2 between Wellington and the Hutt Valley for people cycling

The Transport Agency is making further changes along State Highway 2 to make cycling on this section of road safer and more enjoyable, while work continues on the Ngauranga to Petone and Petone to Melling walking and cycling paths.

To encourage other road users to give cyclists more room, particularly at pinch points, we’ll be adding more signage and road markings, and where we can, widening the shoulder.

To improve the safety of people on bikes at the Horokiwi Road intersection, which has a high number of heavy vehicles, we’ll be introducing clear instructions and asking cyclists to give way. We are also investigating the installation of a cycle-activated warning sign, to remind other road users that they must look out for people on bikes at the intersection.

And for those heading north and wanting to cycle over the Melling Bridge to Lower Hutt, we’ve made it easier with the introduction of a new hook turn facility – the first of its kind in Wellington.

This work is taking place over the next few weeks.

Further details of the improvements we are making are as follows:

Ngauranga to Petone northbound

• A ‘pass safely sign’
• A series of green painted cycle markings in the shoulder at four pinch point locations
• A series of green painted cycle markings across the slip lane to the BP service station
• Signage and road markings indicating that cyclists must give way to vehicles, at both the left turn lane and the on-ramp at Horokiwi
• Rumble strip added to the edge line of the shoulder from the Horokiwi Road northbound

Petone to Melling northbound

• A ‘pass safely sign’
• A ramp onto the footpath at the Cornish Street pinch point
• Introduction of a hook turn at Harbour View Road for people wishing to turn right at Melling Bridge
• Improved ramp onto the shared path at Tirohanga

Road and green painted markings

• A series of green painted cycle markings across the access to Wairere Road
• Shoulder widening and a series of green painted cycle markings across the access to Major Drive

Melling to Petone southbound

• A ‘pass safely sign’
• Shoulder widening and a series of green painted cycle markings in the shoulder at the pinch point opposite Wairere Road

Petone to Ngauranga northbound

• A series of green painted cycle markings indicating the exit onto the shared path to Hutt Road
• A new asphalt surface onto the slip lane that provides access for the shared path to Hutt Road

Horokiwi safety improvements

We reviewed the design of the Horokiwi intersection based on feedback around ambiguity as to whether cyclists or vehicles have priority. Together with representatives from local cycling groups and Horokiwi Quarry, we considered a number of design options. Our aim was to design the safest available option for people on bikes, who have to interact with a high number of heavy vehicles at this intersection. A particular consideration was that drivers of heavy vehicles have considerable blind spots around their vehicles and at this intersection there are further constraints including the blind bend, the short deceleration lane and a 180 degree turn into Horokiwi Road.

This is a unique and challenging intersection, and it was agreed that the safest design option would be to introduce give way signage and road markings, indicating that cyclists must give way to a vehicle, if one is present. In addition to this, we are investigating installing a cycle-activated warning sign to remind other road users to look for people on bikes as they approach and turn left into Horokiwi Road.

At the other intersections along SH2, we remind drivers that if there is a cyclist present (and they are not signalling a left turn) then drivers should assume they are travelling straight ahead. If the rider moves into the straight-through lane, then they have priority over turning vehicles. We would also like to remind people on bikes to look over their shoulders for vehicles and clearly signal their intentions. Further details can be found in The official New Zealand road code for cyclists.

Cycling northbound to Petone

We are providing additional signage and road markings at the northern end of the Hutt Road shared path. This will make clear that there is no northbound access to Petone via the shared path for people cycling and direct people on bikes across the intersection towards the onramp to SH2 and the northbound shoulder.

The section of SH2 between the shared path and the Petone onramp is the shoulder of a state highway and as such, it is not lawful to ride a cycle northbound in the southbound shoulder.

If you are new to cycling or have recently taken it up again, you may be interested in courses that our local Pedal Ready team organise: www.pedalready.org.nz/workplaces-adults

More information about cycle safety can be found at www.nzta.govt.nz/cycle-safety

More information

For more information on the Wellington to Hutt Valley Walking and Cycling Link project, contact us at w2hvlink@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/w2hvlink