Joining everything up bit by bit On the back of the Manukau Innovative Street Pilot scheme I blogged on yesterday (see: Manukau Innovative Streets (Tactical Urbanism) Project Humble Beginnings as … Continue reading Southern Auckland Cycleway Expansions Continue – in Mangere and Manukau (with even more Tactical Urbanism)
What is going on with the Mangere Bridge replace, Light Rail and NZTA? Guest Post from Nicholas Lee In October 2018, NZTA closed the pedestrian bridge connecting the shore of … Continue reading GUEST POST: Trolls under the SH20 Bridge: Is NZTA Attempting to Derail the Light Rail Project?
Resilience is the name of the game for Auckland’s fastest and largest growing sub region In pondering that the City Centre to Mangere Light Rail Line (CC2M) could start at … Continue reading Enhancing the Southern Auckland Transit Network – By Expanding Rapid Transit Network South
Did Anyone include when Light Rail Runs Through a Metropolitan Centre? The answer to that question and on Mixed Use zoning/housing was no. The result? We get a two dimensional … Continue reading Light Rail and Urban Transformation – A Video from the Building Nations 2018 Symposium. I Have Questions.
Quick wins for the Minister We know last weekend Transport Minister Phil Twyford effectively signalled the Northern and Southern Airport Lines will start in the first term of this … Continue reading We are doing the Airport Lines All Wrong. Start from the Airport not from the City Centres
What is in the pipeline With a 14-7 progressive-conservative split on the Governing Body of Auckland Council (see:Ā 15% Council Reputation = Elect Exact Same CouncilĀ Makeup) it looks like a … Continue reading The Next Three Years Ahead for Southern Auckland
Another positive look at the South Side I caught this over at Metro Magazine a couple of hours ago via Twitter. From Metro: Southside Story By Leilani Momoisea @LeilaniJMĀ· … Continue reading Metro on a South Story
Walking and cycling is about to become more attractive in the suburb of Mangere thanks to the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board, Auckland Transport, and NZTA stepping up and investing in better walk/cycleways around the Mangere Town Centre Area.
From the NZ Herald
By Mathew DearnaleyĀ 5:00 AM Tuesday Sep 23, 2014
Mangere Central, one of the country’s most economically and socially challenged enclaves, is in line for an urban project that will make walking and cycling safer.
Researchers with a $3 million government grant have spent 18 months getting close to the community to discover what it would take to get residents out of their cars and into healthier exercise habits.
They are backed to the hilt by the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board, which has voted to spend about $1.7 million on three projects which will among other things form a 2km recreational walking and cycling circuit from Mangere town centre, taking in Windrush Reserve and Mascot Ave.
The reserve has a bad crime record, including a history of sex attacks, but board chairwoman Lydia Sosene hopes opening it up as part of a circuit with good lighting and see-through fences will encourage more people including family groups to use it for fitness and recreation as well as easier access to the town centre.
….
Ms Sosene expected the initiative to be “a huge game changer” which would lift her community by making it safer and easier to get moving.
Future streets
What it is: Urban design, public health and road safety project for Mangere Central.
What it will cost: About $7 million (including a $3 million four-year government research grant).
When changes will be seen: From next year.
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The Full article can be seen here:Ā http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11329562
I take my hat off to the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board for driving this campaign to improve the street and urban landscape one bit at a time to encourage more people being active in their community and less reliant on the car.
Now to get small schemes like this rolled out City wide.
I caught this from the Respect our Community Campaign Facebook page:
MORE GOOD NEWS!!
Via Donna, we have just heard from Maungakiekie Local Board chairman, Simon Randall that Auckland Transport have dropped plans to push their motorway through the northern foreshore of Manukau Harbour and Panama/Riverside! Great news … here is his email:
I have just gotten off the phone with Auckland Transport who has confirmed that the focus of the east west link will be between SH20 and SH1 on the northern side of the Mangere Inlet, meaning that initial suggestions that there may be new motorway connections through the Panama Road area are no longer going to be pursued. I hope that this is good news for you, the Local Board has pushed for this to be abandoned for some time and are pleased it now has been abandoned.
There may still be some minor works associated in the area to support the East West Link, these have yet to be developed but I have made it clear that the Panama Road / Riverside Community to be well engaged on this project and have urged early discussions with residents such as yourselves…etc etc
—-ends—-
That is news indeed.
So the question is – where next?
A release from the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board in light of the Infrastructure Committee’s decisions around the East West Link last week:
Community engagement on East West Link welcomed
MÄngere-ÅtÄhuhu Local Board has welcomed this weekās announcement of a more collaborative approach to the East West Link transport project.
The project is looking at options to improve links between the south-west and south-east of Auckland and ease congestion.
MÄngere-ÅtÄhuhu Local Board Chair Lydia Sosene said the announcement by Auckland Transport and the NZ Transport Agency was a positive step that would help to address community concerns.
āWe are very pleased that there will be a more co-operative approach with key stakeholders in the MÄngere-ÅtÄhuhu area. This is the position this board has been advocating for.ā
The MÄngere-ÅtÄhuhu Local Board has been in on-going discussions with Auckland Transport and the NZ Transport Agency regarding the East West Link.
āFrom the start, we have made it clear that we do not support any option that would see a motorway cut through our residential areas. This is what our communities have told us and we will continue to advocate on this issue on their behalf,ā Ms Sosene says.
āWe have also asked for more options to be investigated. Better public transport, connectivity and transport infrastructure are major priorities for our area. We support the need to address transport issues and find solutions.
āThe board is looking forward to continuing discussions with Auckland Transport, the NZ Transport Agency and our communities about this important issue.ā
Ends
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More on the happening of the East West Link in the related links below:
Talking Southern Auckland 
