Petition to include fit-for-purpose walking and cycling facilities in the new Mt Victoria tunnel

Chris from Hataitai

I've started a petition on Change.Org:

The current Mt Victoria tunnel, 94 years old, is a vital link between Wellington’s eastern suburbs and the city centre and beyond. It caters primarily for motor traffic. The elevated path for pedestrians and cyclists is extremely narrow, congested, noisy and polluted. Despite this, it’s used by about 1000 walkers and cyclists every weekday. They deserve better!

After decades of delay, the Minister of Transport has promised “spades in the ground” before the end of the current parliamentary term, for a new two-lane Mt Victoria tunnel to run parallel with the existing tunnel. However, there has been no mention of whether this new tunnel will include pedestrian and cycling facilities.

There is therefore an urgent and crucial opportunity to ensure that new, high-quality facilities for walkers and cyclists are included in the new tunnel. This could be achieved by placing a wide pedestrian and cycling path under the traffic lanes, as shown in the sketch shown in the petition. Alternatively, the path could be placed alongside the traffic lanes, separated from the traffic by a wall, or even as a completely separate new tunnel. Whatever the configuration, the new walking and cycling facility needs to be at least 5.5 - 6.0 metres wide, divided into separate two-way walking and cycling lanes, and it must be well lit, well ventilated and CCTV monitored.

Progressive cities, including London, Amsterdam and Copenhagen, have invested heavily in new cycling facilities and have seen these facilities widely adopted. “Mainstreaming” cycling and walking dovetails with efficient public transport, increases mobility and accessibility for the city’s residents, reduces traffic congestion and contributes to the city’s liveability and climate-change goals. Reduced traffic congestion improves the speed and reliability of public transport and increases the efficiency of goods delivery and business servicing.

Please sign the petition to ensure that the new Mt Victoria tunnel includes the greatly-improved walking and cycling facilities that current Wellingtonians, and generations to come, deserve.

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