Manukau City Council Plan Change 20 - Flatbush Stage 2. Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA)

Transcription

1 Manukau City Council Plan Change 20 - Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA) October 2010

2 Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc

3 Contents 1. Introduction Overview Background Flat Bush Structure Plan and Staging of Land Release Purpose of Plan Change Flat Bush Transport Design Guide Format, Scope and Exclusions of this ITA 5 2. Process and Consultation Process Consultation 7 3. Proposed Plan Change 20 and Transport Aspects General Content of Proposed Plan Change Transport Aspects in Plan Change Summary Improvements to Influence Travel Travel Characteristics Integration between land use and transport Passenger Transport Flat Bush Sustainable Transport Plan Flat Bush Road Network Upgrade Package Flat Bush Transport Design Guide (TDG) Mode Share Current Modal Split Proposed Modal Split Appraisal of Impacts Mitigating Impacts Implementation of Transport Infrastructure Arterial Road Network Collector and Local Network Passenger Transport 38 Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc

4 8.4 Off-road walking and cycling network Planning and Policy Framework Manukau City Council District Plan Land Transport Management Act Regional Policy Statement Regional Land Transport Strategy Regional Land Transport Programme Summary and Conclusions 43 Table Index Table 2.1 Transport aspects contained in Proposed Plan Change 20 and location in PC20 11 Table 2.1 Continued 12 Table 5.1 Current Modal Split Flat Bush 27 Table 5.2 Current Modal Split Manukau City 27 Table 5.3 Expected Modal Split Flat Bush 27 Table 6.1 Appraisal of Impacts 29 Table 9.1 Section from MCC District Plan 39 Figure Index Figure 1.1 The Flat Bush area within the Auckland Region 1 Figure 1.2 Flat Bush Structure Plan 4 Figure 1.3 Flat Bush Land Release Staging Plan 5 Figure 1.4 Current and Proposed Flat Bush Structure Plan 6 Figure 3.1 Sub-catchments for altnerative local road layotus and key local road connections to be maintained 14 Figure 3.2 Flat Bush Road Hierarchy 15 Figure 4.1 Proposed QTN and LCN Bus Network for Flat Bush 24 Figure 4.2 Revised Proposed Bus Network for Flat Bush 25 Figure 4.3 Proposed Cycling and Walking Network for Flat Bush 26 Figure 8.1 East of Murphy s Road Catchmetn Area 36 Figure 8.2 Financial contribution strategy for Collector Road with development on one side only 37 Appendices A Flat Bush Transport Design Guide Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc

5 1. Introduction 1.1 Overview All plan changes in the Auckland Region must be accompanied by an Integrated Transport Assessment or ITA. GHD have been commissioned by Manukau City Council to assist in the preparation of this ITA which has been developed in support of Proposed Plan Change No.20 (PC 20) to the Manukau District Plan (Operative 2002). The Proposed Plan Change 20 relates to a portion of the greenfield development area of Flat Bush. The purpose of this ITA is to demonstrate how transport and land use have been integrated in the development of Stage 2 of Flat Bush and to illustrate how the plan change affects transport. A location map of the Flat Bush area within the wider Auckland Region context is provided in Figure 1.1 below. Figure 1.1 The Flat Bush area within the Auckland Region Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 1

6 1.2 Background Flat Bush is New Zealand s largest and most comprehensively planned new town project. It is located on approximately 1730 hectares of land in the south east of Manukau and is expected to reach a population of at least 40,000 people by a similar population to Nelson. It is one of seven Greenfield areas earmarked to accommodate significant future growth in the Auckland Region, which together with the planned intensification of a number of existing town centres, will provide for the growth planned in the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy Flat Bush will provide a mixture of housing densities serviced by five smaller neighbourhood x centres (mixed use commercial centres), seven new state schools, a large community library, combined with an art, aquatic and recreation centre in a newly created Barry Curtis Park. The park encompasses 94 hectares and will be a regionally significant park. A second large green space is proposed encompassing the existing Murphy s Bush further south. The heart and soul of Flat Bush is a new 20 hectare town centre, which will have a wide diversity of shops, cafes, offices and community facilities, as well as some residential units within it. Flat Bush has been developed with a unique focus on environmental sustainability. A key feature of this has been the retention of the natural waterways and gullies creating a 45km green finger or park network throughout Flat Bush. The original vision for the Flat Bush area was developed as part of extensive community consultation undertaken in This led to the adoption of the Development East Tamaki Concept Plan in 1999, which was then used as the basis to develop Variation 13 to the Manukau City Council District Plan and a Comprehensive Catchment Management Plan. The latter was used to obtain a Comprehensive Stormwater Discharge Consent from Auckland Regional Council. Variation 13 was notified in 2001 and was made operative in 2006 following the resolution of 30 appeals to the Environment Court. While most of Flat Bush is being developed by the private sector, Manukau City Council is playing a strong role in planning and creating the town; ensuring an integrated approach, a focus on sustainable development and putting the community's needs as a high priority. This approach saw the council's work on Flat Bush win the Gold award for Environmentally Sustainable Project at the 2007 International Awards for Liveable Communities. 1.3 Flat Bush Structure Plan and Staging of Land Release The Manukau City Council District Plan identifies a broad structure plan for the development of the Flat Bush area, however, the land is being released for development in a staged manner. This staged release was deliberate to enable Council to undertake a review of those areas already developed before releasing further land and to consider whether the spatial structure and built form of the development to date has met the original objectives. It also allowed development to be sequenced to allow infrastructure to be progressively extended at the release of each stage. The release of land was divided up into three stages. The first release of land consisted of approximately 590ha of land - 35% of the overall Flat Bush Structure Plan area. Most of the area released as part of Stage 1 has now been developed. 1 Produced by the Auckland Regional Council (ARC), November Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 2

7 There are currently approximately 8,600 people living in Stage 1. This is estimated to rise to 15,800 when development of the area is fully complete. Stage two of Flat Bush covers approximately 350 hectares, in an area south of Flat Bush School Road and east of Murphys Road, as well as vacant land around Barry Curtis Park. The projected population for Stage 2 is 14,400. The projected population for Stage 3 is 6,300. The remainder projected population will be living either in the Town Centre or Countryside zone (along the eastern edge of the area). The Flat Bush Structure Plan (as proposed by PC20) and a schematic figure illustrating the staging plan for Flat Bush is shown in Figure 1.2 and 1.3 overleaf 1.4 Purpose of Plan Change 20 With more than 70% of Stage 1 committed to development, there is a need to finalise planning and release land for Stage 2 to enable the uninterrupted progress of development in Flat Bush. Prior to releasing additional land, a review was undertaken of the built form of Stage 1. This review made a number of recommendations to improve outcomes for the remaining development of Flat Bush. A key recommendation was the need to develop a more detailed Structure Plan to give better guidance to development. This led Council to begin preparation of a proposed Masterplan for the further development of Flat Bush in September Following community and stakeholder input, the proposed Masterplan was finalised and along with a new Flat Bush Transport Design Guide was adopted by Council on 7 September The main purpose of proposed Plan Change 20 is to release the Stage 2 area of Flat Bush for development. In addition, the Plan Change introduces some proposed additions and amendments to the existing District Plan provisions for subdivision and development. These changes are intended to address shortcomings in the development of Stage 1 and better achieve good quality built outcomes that are more in line with the original vision for Flat Bush. 1.5 Flat Bush Transport Design Guide The Flat Bush Transport Design Guide is a non-statutory supporting document to Plan Change 20. Its purpose is to provide guidance to the provisions of the District Plan with regard to street design and intersection control to cater for all modes of transport from pedestrians to cycling, motor vehicles and buses. The objective is to facilitate good and safe accessibility for residents while maintaining a sense of neighbourhood and having streets with good living amenity. The guide will be used by Council as a tool to assess development applications in Flat Bush. Reference to this guideline is made throughout this report. The Flat Bush Transport Design Guide is included in Appendix A. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 3

8 Figure 1.2 Flat Bush Structure Plan (as xproposed by PC20) Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 4

9 Figure 1.3 Flat Bush Land Release Staging Plan 1.6 Format, Scope and Exclusions of this ITA This report has been produced in accordance with ARTA s guidelines for ITA s - the Integrated Transport Assessment Guidelines & Supplementary Documents, October Manukau City Council also undertook early consultation with the Auckland Regional Transport Agency (ARTA) in developing the structure, content and appropriate scope of this report. The main purpose of this ITA is to provide information on how transport and land use have been integrated in the development of Stage 2 and to illustrate how the plan change affects transport. In determining the scope for this ITA it is important to note that the Structure Plan to develop the greenfield area into an urban area for 40,000 people is already approved. The key change presented by Stage 2 of most relevance to this ITA is that a more finely-grained road network has been determined, via the Masterplan, and which is now incorporated in the proposed new Structure Plan. This is illustrated in Figure 1.4 overleaf. Therefore, Plan Change 20 does not affect the total approved provision for a population of 40,000 people, land-use mixes or expected traffic generation. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 5

10 Based on this, areas in which this ITA has focussed on are: Noting the transport-related areas identified in the Flat Bush Stage 1 review in need for improvement and the initiatives in Plan Change 20 to address this; The measures taken to encourage access by all modes of transport, including passenger transport, walking and cycling; Anticipating mode share; Outlining how transport infrastructure will be implemented, e.g. whether any financial or other contributions are required; and How well the development meets general and specific policy objectives for the area. Areas in which this ITA does not deal with as it was not considered necessary are: Traffic generation forecasts. No specific transport modelling has been undertaken for Stage 2 as the area was modelled as part of the whole Flat Bush development Plan Change in Also because Stage 2 does not affect the total population prediction of 40,000 people, land-use mixes or expected traffic generation. Further, no significant changes to the travel patterns are expected as there are no changes to the connections between the internal and external roading networks, only internal layout changes. CO2 emissions and noise as these matters have been addressed in the Structure Plan and Plan Change 13. Figure 1.4 Current and Proposed Flat Bush Structure Plan Current Flat Bush Structure Plan contained in the District Plan Proposed new Flat Bush Structure Plan. The figure highlights the revised and more detailed required road network within Stage 2. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 6

11 2. Process and Consultation 2.1 Process Detailed work on the Masterplan commenced in September Development of the Masterplan was lead by the Council s Urban Design and Planning Team however was guided by a multi disciplinary team within the Council including representatives from Transport Planning, Transport Infrastructure Delivery, Parks, Stormwater and Resource Consents. 2.2 Consultation Informal consultation on the draft Masterplan for Stage 2 was undertaken by way of posting out a summary of the Draft Masterplan document with comment return forms to all residents within the immediate environs of Flat Bush and identified key stakeholders. Closing for public comment was on 21 st May In terms of transport, positive feedback from both the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and ARTA was received. ARTA provided an indicative bus route network plan for the area which has been incorporated into the Flat Bush Transport Design Guide. Public open days were also held during April and May This feedback was supplemented by dialogue with key stakeholders, the Flat Bush Sounding Board and the Community Boards Otara and Botany-Clevedon for incorporation into the final Masterplan, Plan Change 20 Flat Bush and supporting Flat Bush Transport Design Guide. In addition, residents and key stakeholders were invited to participate in a workshop on the 10 th June 2010 to discuss the key issues raised in the feedback. Some of the key transport-related feedback given included: Support for the grid road network for the many benefits it offers all road users; Whilst there was support for the grid road network, there was some concern that the longer straighter roads would encourage greater levels of speeding by drivers; Need to provide developers and landowners with some flexibility on final local road layout. All of these points have been addressed in the final PC20 and via the Flat Bush Transport Design Guide. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 7

12 Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 8

13 3. Proposed Plan Change 20 and Transport Aspects 3.1 General Content of Proposed Plan Change 20 The proposed Plan Change 20 will amend the Flat Bush Structure Plan to reflect the proposed road layout and zones contained in the Masterplan for Stage 2. Chapter 17 in the District Plan will also be amended through insertions and changes to the provisions and rules relating to subdivision and development to improve the quality of built outcomes and better deliver on the original vision for Flat Bush. Key aspects of proposed Plan Change 20 include: The introduction of two new zones Residential 3 and Residential 4; The release of approximately 208 hectares of land in stage 2A with a further 134 hectares of land to be rezoned in Stage 2B on 1 January 2013; A regular grid road network with a clear hierarchy of roads; A rectangular development block format that is flexible and easy to develop for a variety of housing types; Continuation of the Greenfinger corridors through Stage 2 linking Barry Curtis Park and the future Town Centre in Stage 1 to two new proposed public open spaces at Murphy s Park and Eastern Park with walkways and cycleways; The integration of the Greenfingers, with a more formal public park system and Park Edge roads to provide a high quality public domain for residents; A neighbourhood centre east of the cross-roads of Murphy s Road with Flat Bush School Road; including a proposed primary school nearby; Improved private amenity through back to back housing, the inclusion of backyards (with 9m rear yards) and avoidance of rear lots in the Residential 3 zone; Minimum standards for private outdoor living courts have been increased to a minimum of 6m by 6m; Minimum sizes for apartments and improved assessment criteria to ensure quality outcomes; and Requirement to install fibre optic. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 9

14 3.2 Transport Aspects in Plan Change 20 There are essentially sixteen transport-related aspects or changes contained in proposed Plan Change 20. These are: A greater focus on improving the pedestrian environment, specifically increasing the footpath width requirement; New local and collector road network for Stage 2; Allowance for alternative local road layouts on a sub-catchment basis; Guidance on Local Road treatment; A new local road type has been identified for Stage 2; A requirement for passive traffic calming measures on Collector Roads in Stage 2 in the form of tree build out pairs spaced at regular intervals along the road; Three new types of collector roads have been identified in Stage 2; Additional guidance provided on how Murphy s Road is to be developed; Identifying roads with sensitive or special land uses, specifically Neighbourhood Centres. Roads around and near to schools are also considered to fall into this category although reference to these are only made in the Flat Bush Transport Design Guide; Increasing width of cul-de-sac carriageways from 5.4m to 6m and requiring footpaths to be provided on both sides; Various rules and assessment criteria to improve intersection layout and design; Requirement to provide for bus stops at time of development in accordance with an indicative bus stop location map; Requirement for certain activities to develop Travel Plans; Requirement for certain activities to provide bicycle parking; Requirement for development either side of an arterial route within the Flat Bush area to meet current noise standards; and Cross reference made to the Flat Bush Transport Design Guide (TDG) where relevant. The location of these changes in the Plan Change 20 document is outlined in Table 2 overleaf. Further description of these changes and how they are aimed at influencing travel is provided in the following sub-sections. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 10

15 Table 2.1 Transport aspects contained in Proposed Plan Change 20 and location in PC20 Transport aspects in PC20 Location in Proposed PC 20 Transport aspects in PC20 Location in Proposed PC 20 1 Increase in footpath width requirement 2 New road network for Stage (iii), pg 103. Figure A - Flat Bush Structure Plan, pg 28. Figure C Required Roads and Road Types Subject to Specific Design, pg Collector Roads passive traffic calming requirements in the form of tree build outs at regularly spaced intervals (a), Table 2, pg (c), (i) cross section, pg (c), (ii) outlining required provision of tree build outs by block length, pg 103. Figure Collector Road with Tree Build Outs, pg 112; Figure Collector Road Tree Build Outs Minimum Distance from Corner, pg Rules Additional Assessment Criteria, (b) Road Standards for Traffic Calming on Collector Roads, pg Allowance for alternative local road layouts on a subcatchment basis Movement Network Alternative Local Road Layout, pg Figure Sub-Catchments for Alternative Local Road Layouts, pg 116. Figure Key Local Road Connections to be maintained between Sub-Catchments, pg Movement Network Alternative Local Road Layout in Flat Bush Residential 3 Zone, pg Three new types of collector roads have been identified in Stage (a), Table 2, pg (c), (i) cross section, 103 Figures , and , pg Guidance on Local Road treatment Rules Additional Assessment Criteria, (a) Road Standards for Local Roads, pg Additional guidance provided on how Murphy s Road is to be developed Amend Chapter 8 Transportation Appendix 1, by inserting: 8A Murphy s Road, pg A new local road type has been identified for Stage (a), Table 2, pg (c), (i) cross section, 103 Figure , pg Identifying roads with sensitive or special land uses: Neighbourhood Centres. Roads near schools also fall into this category although reference to these is only made in the Flat Bush T. Requirement for a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for Flat Bush School Road / Murphy s Road Neighbourhood Centre: , pg , pg Rules Assessment Criteria for CDP, pg Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 11

16 Table 2.1 Continued Transport aspects contained in Proposed Plan Change 20 and location in PC20 Transport aspects in PC20 Location in Proposed PC 20 Transport aspects in PC20 Location in Proposed PC Increasing width of culde-sac carriageways from 5.4m to 6m and requiring footpaths to be provided on both sides (a), Table 2, pg (c), (i) cross section, 103 Figure , pg Requirement for certain activities to provide bicycle parking Rules: General Matters for Discretion: Restricted Discretionary Activities, (b) Site Layout, including cycle parking, pg Also covered in CDP and Travel Plan requirements. 11 Improvements to intersection layout and design (c), (iv) corner radius requirement of 7m on local to local and collector roads, pg (c), (v) deceleration lanes not permitted, pg 103. Figure m Corner Radius and Pram Crossing Position, pg Rules Additional Assessment Criteria, (c) Intersections and free left slip lanes, pg Requirement for development either side of an arterial route within the Flat Bush area to meet current noise standards Noise, (v) On Future High Noise Routes the following standards shall be met., pg 152. Figure Future High Noise Routes, pg Requirement to provide for bus stops at time of development in accordance with an indicative bus stop location map. 13 Requirement for certain activities to develop Travel Plans Rules Additional Assessment Criteria, (h) Bus Stops, pg Figure Indicative Bus Stop Locations, pg Travel Plans, pg Rules: General Matters for Discretion: Restricted Discretionary Activities, (i) For activities requiring the provision of travel plans and to provide for alternative sustainable modes of transport, pg Rules: General Assessment Criteria for Restricted Discretionary Activities, (i) Travel Plans, pg Cross reference made to the Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline where relevant Reference to the Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline is made throughout the above locations in PC20 where relevant. The reference is made as follows: In addressing the requirements described above design solutions in accordance with the Council s Engineering Quality Standards and the Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline will be considered generally acceptable. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 12

17 3.2.1 Pedestrian Focus Stage 2 will provide a better environment for pedestrians to make Flat Bush more pedestrian friendly and encourage greater levels of walking. A range of measures have been incorporated in PC20, however, a key feature is that footpath widths have been increased from the absolute minimum of 1.5m to 1.8m on all local and collector roads. Wider footpath widths will be required on arterial roads and roads adjacent to sensitive or special land-uses such as neighbourhood centres or schools. The other improvements are discussed in the following sub-sections; however include the new grid network, locating crossing points on pedestrian desire lines and tighter corner radii on local road intersections to shorten the pedestrian crossing distances. There will also be a focus on better interface between the extensive off road path network and the footpaths on the road network through use of appropriate pedestrian crossing facilities Road Network The largest transport related change for Stage 2 is the change from the irregularly shaped development blocks to using an orthogonal network of collector and local streets to create a grid road network and more rectangular spatial structure. The previous Structure Plan for Flat Bush outlined a rather high-level required road network, providing no or little guidance to landowners and developers on how the area should be subdivided and thus form the more finely grained local and collector road network. This has resulted in some poor built form outcomes which were identified in the Stage 1 Transurban Review. This included: Various issues to do with how blocks were subdivided and creation of narrow or square lot sizes resulting in poor local road connections and many rear lots. Rear lots do not address the street, thus reducing the amenity and quality of the street amenity area. Many streets that kink / curve in their alignment, thus preventing clear slight line to the green fingers or open spaces located at the end of the street. Curved streets give the appearance of a higher density than actually exists due to the visibility of buildings. Curved streets on collector roads was identified as a particular issue as it negatively impacted on the perception of connectivity and apparent density, legibility and clarity on what is a key road within the network. A key recommendation was the need to develop a more detailed Structure Plan, providing a hierarchy of streets, to give better guidance to development. This recommendation has been incorporated in the proposed new Structure Plan. The finely grained grid network and rectangular block structure presents the greatest benefit for transport. A well connected or permeable street network results in a high degree of accessibility and a choice of routes for people, which encourages greater levels of walking, cycling and passenger transport use. The straighter roads will also make the area more legible and easier to navigate through, with long vistas along roads making travelling through the area more pleasant. For example, people would be able to see a park at the end of the road, rather than just houses. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 13

18 Good connectivity and a strong collector road network also leads to a more even spread of traffic throughout the area, with short trips not necessarily requiring access to the main road network. This dispersal of traffic helps to alleviate traffic flow pressure on the arterial roads and their intersections. This in turn reduces the need to continually have to widen arterial roads, which is often at the detriment of the adjoining land-uses and non-motorised user s needs. The new road network for Stage 2 will therefore contribute towards a more sustainable development in Flat Bush Option to Propose an Alternative Local Road Layout While the arterial, collector and local road park edge network can not be changed allowance has been made for developers to present alternative local road layouts for a defined sub catchment area - subject to the whole sub-catchment area being considered and not just a small part of it. This is outlined in greater detail in the relevant sections of PC20 as outlined in Table 2.1 of this report and in Section 3.2 of the Flat Bush TDG. This allowance was included in PC20 in recognition that some flexibility on how the local road network is constructed can be provided to developers without compromising the overall outcome sought from the road network, so long as the general outcomes sought from a grid network is maintained in the proposed new layout. To ensure this is achieved, a proposed alternative local road layout will only be accepted subject to it meeting certain assessment criteria. These are listed in the District Plan in sections and All alternative local road layouts must maintain the position of specified key local road connections between sub-catchment areas. Figure 3.1 below outlines the defined subcatchment areas and location of the key local road connections. Figure 3.1 Sub-catchments for alternative local road layouts and key local road connections to be maintained Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 14

19 3.2.4 Road Typologies One of the issues identified by the Stage 1 review was that there was a lack of street design to help identify a neighbourhood precinct. It was recommended that guidance on how a street should look and feel is provided in a design code - in addition to providing a more detailed road hierarchy in the Structure Plan. The review also identified a poor relationship between buildings and the primary (arterial) road network e.g. multi-storey buildings were located too close to the footpath/berm and footpath widths too narrow for the wider road environment, both aspects reducing the amenity and desirability for people to use the road. It recommended that the general environment of the primary road network needed to be improved, particularly for pedestrians. These issues have now been addressed through the production of the Flat Bush TDG and incorporation of key aspects into PC20. There are nine types of roads in Flat Bush, seven of which are found in Stage 2. The road hierarchy in Flat Bush is illustrated in Figure 3.2 below. Figure 3.2 Flat Bush Road Hierarchy Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 15

20 Each road type performs different functions and Section 4 of the Flat Bush TDG provides a detailed outline of the main functions and purposes of these roads, aspects of which have been incorporated into PC20. These are summarised below, starting from the highest road hierarchy - district arterial, down to the lowest - cul-de-sacs. District Arterial Road Murphy s Road is the only arterial found in Stage 2. It is currently a two-lane rural a District Arterial Road which will be upgraded into a four-lane urban District Arterial Road by the Council in line with development. Taking on board the lessons learnt from Stage 1 and in view of the strategic importance of Murphy s Road in the Primary Road Network and for the Flat Bush community, high design standards have been set for its development. PC 20 inserts an amendment to Chapter 8 Transportation Appendix 1 (8A Murphy s Road, pg 12 14) which clearly lists the transport outcomes sought from the Murphy s Road upgrade. This should guide the design of the future road up-grade project. The Flat Bush TDG provides further guidance by outlining a proposed strategy for the development of Murphy s Road, which includes proposed intersection treatments and indicative cross sections. Key features include providing on-street parking where required, limiting local side road access, limiting or prohibiting direct property access off Murphy s Road, providing a quality road edge environment that encourages pedestrian activity and high quality cycle facilities. As a result of the cross section development the minimum road reserve width required has been increased from 27.4m to 31m. Collector Roads in Stage 2 The Council s collector road cross section assumes that on-street parking occurs as it is one of the main traffic calming measures relied upon to manage traffic speeds on collector roads. However, in Flat Bush, it has been found that no or little on-street parking is occurring on collector roads, especially during the weekday. This created informal 5.4m travel lanes, which is far too wide and can encourage drivers to travel beyond the speed limit. The lack of on-street parking and the resultant wide carriageway also results in a low level of street amenity. The straighter, grid network in the proposed new Structure Plan could potentially exacerbate these issues. This was also a concern raised by the community during the informal public consultation exercise undertaken in April and May To ameliorate this potential issue, PC20 requires the implementation of tree build out pairs at regular intervals along Collector Roads in Stage 2 to maintain a maximum vehicle speed environment of 50kph. This is a passive or soft form of traffic calming that aims to manage traffic speeds by being self-enforcing, i.e. they are measures that aim to naturally influence driver behaviour and do not require or rely on active enforcement. The tree build outs will reduce the though lane widths at regular intervals essentially acting as parked vehicles - which will help to achieve a slower speed environment over the length of the road. The build outs will also improve street amenity through the provision of additional trees and can be converted into kerb extensions to provide pedestrians with shorter distance to cross the street where required. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 16

21 Collector Road Park Edge Three new types of Collector Roads have been developed for Stage 2 as their location adjacent to a park either on one or both sides of the road require a different road cross section than the standard. These are: Collector roads with development on one side only; Collector roads in the form of bridges spanning across the greenfinger park corridors; and Collector road with public open space on both sides. Due to a lack of a requirement to cater for on-street parking on the park-side of the road, the carriageway width requirements have been reduced accordingly and new cross sections developed. Where there is a demand for parking along the park edge, such as along Murphy s Park, it is to be provided within the parks reserve by the Council s Park s Department. This was discussed and agreed with the Council s Parks Department in the development of the road cross sections. The new cross sections for these roads have been included in PC20 and can be found in Section 4.4 of the Flat Bush TDG. Local roads and Local Road Park Edge Where housing can occur on both sides of the road, the road is termed a Local Road. In Flat Bush, many local roads are also located adjacent to a greenfinger or park area, so development can only occur on one side of the road. These roads are termed Local Road Park Edge. Local roads are where people live and play and the desired outcome for local roads is a street environment that allows and encourages a range of pedestrian or community activity. In line with this, the desired maximum vehicle speed on local roads is 40kph. A key part towards achieving the outcomes sought for local roads is to ensure that on-street parking can occur and that regular spaced trees in the front berm can be planted as, in addition to a narrow carriageway width, these two features are traffic calming measures assumed to be in place to manage vehicle speeds on local roads. In Stage 1, this was not able to be achieved in some parts due to too narrow lot widths and driveway layouts not providing the minimum required space for on-street parking and/or trees once minimum visibility distance requirements from driveways and street lighting columns were taken into consideration. In Stage 2, this issue is mainly addressed through the development of a minimum lot width of 12.5m. No other specific changes are incorporated in PC20 on local roads, except for crossreference being made to the Flat Bush TDG. The Flat Bush TDG provides further guidance as to what is considered essential and desirable in the layout of lot and driveway configurations on local roads. It states that for these roads, it is considered essential that one vehicle can park on-street in front of a property and desirable for driveways to be off-set so that the on-street parking creates a chicane effect which also helps to slow vehicle speeds. It is also important to ensure that lot subdivisions and driveway configurations allow trees and street lighting to be provided in the front berm. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 17

22 Special local road park edge A new local road has been developed called Flat Bush Special Local Park Edge Road. The road is adjacent to a proposed new primary school as well as the sports fields in Murphy s Park, so a high level of activity is expected to occur. The road width allows for two way travel lanes at all times whilst still maintaining a slow speed environment and providing for on-street parking on the development side. Cul-de-sacs The road network laid out in the Structure Plan no longer allows for cul-de-sacs unless there is a strong reason for providing them. The only area this is anticipated to occur will be in the south eastern parts of Stage 2, due to the areas steep topography and adjoining land ownership not permitting a local road connection. Where they are provided, PC20 has increased the carriageway width from 5.4m to 6m and requires footpaths to be provided on both sides of the road. The latter is to better provide for pedestrians, especially where there is development on both sides of the cul-de-sac. The reason for the carriageway increase is simply an operation one. The original 5.4m included the drainage channel on either side of the carriageway. It has been found throughout Manukau City that people tend to not park their cars right up against the kerb, due to the drainage channel, and therefore the width of the through travel lane was narrower than it should be causing issues with vehicles having difficulty passing parked vehicles. Widening the carriageway to 6m simply incorporates the drainage channel width either side of the carriageway to address this issue. Roads with Sensitive or Special Land Uses It is recognised that there may be occasions where departures from the standard road layouts may be required in locations where sensitive or special land-uses occur and where specific treatments more appropriate to the land-uses should be applied. Examples of where this may apply are around higher pedestrian activity generators, such as neighbourhood centres or schools. This category is not identified specifically in the Road Hierarchy Map. PC20 requires the development of Neighbourhood Centres to be subject to a Comprehensive Development Plan (CPD). The development of the plan will be led by the Council in partnership with the land owners. Various transport requirements and assessment criteria for the CPD are included in PC20, including: Consideration of street locations and cross sections, car and cycle parking, manoeuvring areas, vehicle access points including rear lanes and servicing areas; Consideration of a Travel Plan; Whether it achieves a compact pedestrian friendly neighbourhood centre; Whether a high level of pedestrian amenity and provision for cycling and passenger transport is incorporated into the neighbourhood centre; Whether car parking areas and vehicle access have been integrated into the development to ensure car parking is safe and convenient; and Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 18

23 Whether the level of car parking is appropriate having regard to the size and function of the neighbourhood centre and in terms of encouraging alternative transport options. PC20 also includes a cross reference to the Flat Bush TDG. Section 4.6 of the Flat Bush TDG outlines the transport outcomes sought for neighbourhood centres to help guide the development of the CPD. Roads directly around and near to schools are also considered to fall into this category, however, no specific reference to these is made in PC20. It was not considered necessary as all schools are Restricted Discretionary Activities and specific requirements can be addressed at time of development through the Resource Consent process. The Flat Bush TDG outlines some key outcomes for roads surrounding schools including the need to provide a 3m path (or wider) near schools to cater for school children and their parents converging at the school and to allow for shared pedestrian and cyclists use on the path Intersection treatments The introduction of the grid network in Stage 2 means there will be longer straighter roads which if not treated appropriately, can lead to higher vehicles speeds. How intersections are treated can help to manage vehicles speeds. It is therefore important to apply appropriate treatments to intersections in Flat Bush. Key aspects contained in PC20 on intersection treatments for Flat Bush are: Requirement to use a 7m corner radius on local to local and local to collector road intersections. Requirement to locating pedestrian pram crossings on pedestrian desire lines (the application of the 7m corner radius helps to achieve this). Use of left-in and left-out only treatment on access to/from a local side road and Murphy s Road. Use of slip or decelerating lanes from an arterial to a collector or local road not permitted. Use of free left slip lanes not permitted, except in exceptional cases where it is demonstrated to be justified. Key aspects contained in the Flat Bush TDG on intersection treatments are: Use of roundabouts at specific locations on local and collector roads where there is a need to break up significantly long stretches of straight road. Not providing continuous priority on local roads by alternating give way priorities approximately every three or more blocks. A proposed intersection treatment strategy for the Stage 1 area. The above additions addresses one of the issues identified in the Stage 1 review which listed the large corner radii at local road intersections as a key issue as well as the pram crossing position having to be located away from pedestrian desire lines. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 19

24 3.2.6 Bus Stops A key part of the Flat Bush vision is to enable the community to use passenger transport for many of their journeys thereby reducing dependency on car use. As bus is the only practical mode for passenger transport in the area, providing an attractive bus route network and supporting infrastructure such as bus stops is extremely important in Flat Bush. In Stage 1, it was found that bus stops were often being considered after subdivision plans and lot layouts had been finalised. This resulted in bus stops having to be placed at whichever location was available rather than where they were actually required. This is because it is often difficult to implement a new bus stop once development has already taken place due to adjoining landowner objections or the layout of neighbouring driveways prohibiting the ability to fit a bus stop in between them. It is therefore important to factor in bus stop locations when drawing up a subdivision or lot layout proposal so that bus stops can be accommodated right from the start. It is for this reason that a key change incorporated in PC20 is a requirement for bus stops to be provided for at time of development in accordance with an indicative bus stop location map. The map only provides an indicative location, so the final location and layout of proposed new bus stops is to be determined through discussion with the Council s appropriate Transport Team when the subdivision plans for an area are being initiated. The Flat Bush TDG includes a cross reference to the ARTA Bus Stop Infrastructure Design Guideline for more detailed guidelines on optimum bus stop location and other design considerations Travel plans PC20 includes a requirement that all activities in Flat Bush with 40 or more employees on the premises at any one time and any education facility with a roll greater than 50 to develop a Travel Plan. The Flat Bush TDG provides additional explanation as to what a Travel Plan aims to do and what types of measures might be included in one. It also recommends that developers / organisations initiate early discussion with the Council and relevant Transport Department when about to develop a Travel Plan. Use of the Auckland regional travel plan programme TravelWise is also recommended as it provides a process for developing a Travel Plan Bicycle parking It is important to provide appropriate cycle parking facilities to support the extensive off-road and on-road cycling network being developed in Flat Bush and allow people to park their bicycles at the start or end of their trip. There are various measures within the current District Plan and in PC20 that requires key activities in Flat Bush to provide bicycle parking: Flat Bush Town Centre cycle parking provision to be identified via the town centre masterplan process; Employment Centres - cycle parking provision to be identified via their Travel Plans; Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 20

25 Schools - cycle parking provision to be identified via their Travel Plans Neighbourhood Centres - cycle parking provision to be identified in their Comprehensive Development Plan (as outlined in Section 4.61). The Flat Bush TDG includes a cross reference to the ARTA document Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA) Guidelines and Supplementary Document E Guidance Note for Cycle Parking, October 2007 for guidelines on cycle parking provision ratios and other design considerations High noise on arterial roads A new Standard for measuring, predicting, assessing and, where required, determining appropriate mitigation for road-traffic noise was published by Standards New Zealand on 30 April This Standard is referred to as NZS 6806 and its full title is: NZS 6806:2010 Acoustics Road-traffic noise New and altered roads. PC20 has incorporated a requirement for new development located directly on arterial roads in Flat Bush to meet certain internal noise standards, in accordance with this new Standard Walking and cycling network Once fully developed, Flat Bush will have an extensive off-road cycling and walking path network. It is important to ensure there is good interface between the off-road path network and the road network where they meet. One of the key issues identified in the Stage 1 review was the poor interface between the park / open space areas and development in terms of poor or limited pedestrians crossing facilities across roads, particularly busy main roads. Whilst no specific provision is contained in PC20 on this matter, Section 7 of the Flat Bush TDG outlines the need to have good interface between the on and off road walking and cycling network. The guideline recommends providing some form of informal or formal crossing facility for pedestrians and cyclists where the off-road walking and cycling network intersects or connects with the road network. It also provides examples of crossing facilities and where they may be used on the road network. 3.3 Summary Overall, it is considered that the general land-use as well as transport-specific additions contained in PC20 will contribute towards ensuring Flat Bush Stage 2 is a highly accessible development by all modes of transport and where land use and transport are well integrated to create a sustainable outcome. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 21

26 Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 22

27 4. Improvements to Influence Travel 4.1 Travel Characteristics It is envisaged that over time a significant number of employment opportunities will be realised within the Flat Bush area, negating the need for employees to travel long distances to and from work. Currently the main employment areas are Auckland to the north, East Tamaki to the East and Manukau/Wiri to the south. Access to these areas is and will be available via the district arterial roading network of Murphy s Road and Chapel Road. The passenger transport network is continuing to be upgraded to allow for faster and more direct connections between residential and employment areas. There is no change proposed to the roading network connections identified in the original Structure Plan for Flat Bush for the areas beyond Flat Bush. All changes proposed are internal and will not affect the traffic volumes anticipated to access the wider roading network at strategic locations, but will effect how vehicles move within the Flat Bush area on short journeys. The original Flat Bush Development proposed as part of Variation 13 includes many improvements to influence travel. All of these aspects still apply to PC20. These include: Good integration between land use and transport; Development of a passenger transport network plan for the area; Development of a Flat Bush Sustainable Transport package, which covers the extensive walking and cycling network proposed for the area; Development of a Flat Bush Road Network Upgrade Package; and Development of a Transport Design Guide. These are discussed further in the following sections. 4.2 Integration between land use and transport The integration of land use and transportation in has been achieved in the following ways: The town centre provides a focal point for the new community providing both recreational and employment opportunities. Neighbourhood centres and schools have been provided to service the Flat Bush catchment area. Through a series of greenfingers people have opportunities to walk and cycle to the town centre as well as connecting other service areas. A significant increase in passenger transport services is being introduced as Flat Bush develops. This will connect with key employment and transport hubs such as East Tamaki, Manukau City and Botany Town Centre. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 23

28 4.3 Passenger Transport All arterial and collector roads are designated bus routes and the District Plan requires these roads to be constructed to cater for their movements. ARTA and the Council have produced an indicative future bus network for the Flat Bush area. The overall passenger transport strategy for Flat Bush is for the area to be served by a Quality Transit Network (QTN) route connecting the Flat Bush Town Centre with Botany Town Centre (and the Auckland Manukau Transport Initiative or AMETI) in the north; and Manukau City Centre and the new Manukau Rail/Bus Interchange in the south, via Chapel Road. The QTN will be supplemented by several Local Connector Networks that penetrate more deeply into the Flat Bush area. Figure 4.1 outlines the original proposed passenger transport strategy for the Flat Bush Area. The LCN bus routes have since been revised to follow the proposed new collector road network developed as part of PC20 and in consultation with ARTA. This is shown in Figure 4.2. Once the road network is complete and the bus route network is able to operate as envisaged, the Flat Bush community will be well served by bus services. This will help to ensure that passenger transport is a viable alternative to the car for many of the communities travel needs. Figure 4.1 Proposed QTN and LCN Bus Network and Frequency for the Flat Bush Area Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 24

29 Figure 4.2 Revised Proposed Bus Network for Flat Bush Area in line with PC Flat Bush Sustainable Transport Plan A Flat Bush Cycleway and Walkways Masterplan (2005) was developed as part of the original Flat Bush Structure Plan. It contained a plan to implement an extensive cycleway and walkway network in the Flat Bush area utilising for the most part the 45km green finger or park network. The cycleway and walkways masterplan is shown in Figure 4.3 overleaf. The majority of the walking and cycling facilities will be segregated, providing for commuting and recreational trips in a more enjoyable environment. The network will enable direct connections between planned workplaces, town centres and residential areas. It also allows for direct connections between the Flat Bush Town Centre, Barry Curtis Park and Murphy s Park, hence enhanced opportunities for recreational walking and cycling. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 25

30 The cycleway and walkway network is being implemented in line with development and will continue to be implemented in Stage 2. Once PC20 is operative, the cycleway and walkway network plan will be updated to take into account the new road network proposed in PC20. The cycleway and walkway network will provide a quality environment that will both encourage and support greater levels of walking and cycling in Flat Bush. Figure 4.3 Proposed cycling and walking network for the Flat Bush Area 4.5 Flat Bush Road Network Upgrade Package As part of the original Structure Plan, the Council developed a road network upgrade package which outlines the improvements needed on the arterial and key collector road network to cater for the new growth. An updated Flat Bush Road Network Upgrade Package was recently resubmitted to NZTA for funding approval and has since been approved. The package covers six road upgrade projects in the Flat Bush area, which connect to or are required as part of the infrastructure requirements for Flat Bush Stage Flat Bush Transport Design Guide (TDG) The Flat Bush TDG has already been discussed throughout Section 3 of this report. It is a tool to help ensure the transport outcomes envisaged by the Council and the community in Flat Bush transpire on the ground. The successful implementation of the improvements proposed within the Flat Bush vision will help to influence travel within the area. A copy of the guide is included in Appendix A. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 26

31 5. Mode Share 5.1 Current Modal Split The current modal split for commuters from the previous three census data is as shown in the tables below for the Flat Bush Area and Manukau City as a whole. Table 5.1 Current Modal Split Flat Bush Passenger in Car Drive Public Bus Train Motorcycle Cycle Walk % 87% 3% 0% 1% 1% 1% % 89% 2% 0% 1% 0% 1% % 87% 3% 1% 0% 0% 1% Table 5.2 Current Modal Split Manukau City Passenger in Car Drive Public Bus Train Motorcycle Cycle Walk % 80% 5% 1% 1% 1% 3% % 84% 4% 1% 0% 1% 3% % 85% 3% 1% 0% 1% 3% The proportion of residents using sustainable forms of transport, such as bus, walking and cycling, is currently lower than that for the total of the Manukau City region. However, it is important to bear in mind that the Flat Bush development is currently only half complete. This means that the bus, walking and cycling network is not yet fully developed so the benefits that will be derived from them are not fully realised. The release of Stage 2 for development will bring the envisaged transport network one stage closer to completion. Overall, the integration of land use and transport in Flat Bush and the considerable investment planned for the transport infrastructure in Flat Bush as outlined in Section 4 of this report will see an increase in patronage and usage of sustainable travel modes in the area. 5.2 Proposed Modal Split Table 5.3 below outlines the estimated modal split considered to be achievable for Flat Bush. Table 5.3 Expected Modal Split Flat Bush Passenger in Car Drive Public Bus Train Motorcycle Cycle Walk 10% 74% 7% 4% 1% 2% 2% Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 27

32 The walking and cycling estimated forecast modal share is based on ARTA s Sustainable Transport Plan. The plan includes a cycling action plan which aims to double cycling from 1% of peak period trips to 2% by The implementation of the Flat Bush structure plan and the Flat Bush Cycleway and Walkways Masterplan is seen as making this target very achievable for the Flat Bush area. The bus and train estimated forecast modal share is based on ARTA s Passenger Transport Network Plan. The Plan is expected to result in an increase in passenger transport patronage for the region from the current 50 million trips a year to over 100 million trips a year by This increase will result in the passenger transport mode share increasing from about 7% currently to 11% in Of this it is expected that bus and train will carry about 97% of all travel on the passenger transport network, with trains carrying 35% and buses 62%. Car pooling is not currently measured, however the implementation of a requirement for all developments with 40 or more staff to create and implement a travel management plan should see the 10% target being achieved. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 28

33 6. Appraisal of Impacts The largest transport related change for Stage 2 is the change from the irregularly shaped development blocks to using an orthogonal network of collector and local streets to create a grid road network and more rectangular spatial structure. The impacts of the proposed changes to the network as well as other PC20 transport-related amendments are discussed below. Table 6.1 Appraisal of Impacts Feature Comment Impact Road Network Grid patterned road network Focus on road hierarchy Arterial, collector, local park edge road locations predetermined Specified road formation / cross sections Passive approach to speed control Intersection Treatments Arterial road Murphy s Road Creates well connected or permeable road network with a high degree of accessibility and choice of routes Good connections and strong collector road network creates a more even spread of traffic and less reliance on arterial roads Ensures key routes are designed and developed to a high standard appropriate to their function Roads are designed to meet the intended needs of all road users not just vehicles Appropriate design for adjacent land use Using on street carparking, build outs located directly opposite each other and street trees to slow vehicle speeds Predominantly traffic signal controlled Local road connections proposed to be restricted to left in and left out Improves accessibility and integration between transport modes Creates long straight roads which can result in higher traffic speeds. Improves accessibility and safety with roads used more appropriately reducing traffic volumes resulting in travel time savings Improves the safety and quality of the surrounding environment by ensuring fit for purpose design and development Improves accessibility and integration between transport modes Ensures roads are not over or under designed for their intended function Improves the safety by reducing through traffic speeds Creates quality environment and street amenity encouraging pedestrian activity Creates a share with care environment encouraging cycling Improves travel times and journey time reliability, resulting in vehicle operating and safety benefits Ensures an efficient use of the arterial roads Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 29

34 Feature Comment Impact Collector roads Local roads Walking and Cycling Network Greenfinger network 1.8m minimum footpaths increased to 2.4m on streets with greater pedestrian activity Reduced corner radii on local roads (7m), and build outs Traffic signal controlled when connecting with higher roads Priority over local roads Ensures an efficient use of the collector roads to disperse traffic Roundabout or priority controlled Segregated facility providing for commuting and recreational trips in a more enjoyable environment Provides shorter crossing distances for pedestrians at key desire lines Improves travel times and journey time reliability, resulting in vehicle operating and safety benefits Improves safety by limiting the length of the straights, reducing vehicle speeds Improves accessibility and safety for pedestrians by ensuring vehicles use the roads appropriately for their intended function Improves accessibility and integration between transport modes Encourages greater levels of walking and cycling Creates quality environment and street amenity encouraging pedestrian activity Improves pedestrian and cyclist safety by reducing vehicle speeds. Appropriate pedestrian crossing facilities Bicycle parking Passenger Transport Bus routes Use of zebra crossings, textured surfaces and dropped kerbs to highlight pedestrian crossing points Requirement for provision of bicycle stands at typical trip end locations An extensive and high quality bus service and network is planed for the area. Improves accessibility and integration encouraging pedestrian activity Improves the accessibility of cycling enabling it to be a viable alternative to the private car. Increasing the number of cyclists helps to reduce the impacts on the environment from vehicle emissions. Improves efficiency and sustainability of the road network Increasing the number of bus users reduces the impacts on the environment from vehicle emissions Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 30

35 Feature Comment Impact Clear guidance on bus stop locations Travel Plans Workplace and School travel plans Indicative bus stop locations ensures good access to the bus network and appropriate levels of service can be provided Requirement for all activities with more than 40 employees and all education facilities with a roll call greater than 50 to produce travel plans Improves accessibility and integration encouraging passenger transport use Increasing the number of bus users reduces the impacts on the environment from vehicle emissions Improves the environment and the economy by encouraging greater use of sustainable forms of transport, improving people s health and reducing carbon emissions. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 31

36 Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 32

37 7. Mitigating Impacts The original structure plan to develop a new town in Flat Bush to cater for 40,000 people was approved in At the time of the Structure Plans development and the creation of Plan Change 13, the traffic impacts were assessed and supported by a comprehensive traffic impact assessment and transport modelling. No changes are proposed to the roading network connections identified in the original Structure Plan for Flat Bush for the areas beyond Stage 2. All changes proposed are internal to Stage 2 and will not affect the traffic volumes anticipated to access the wider roading network at strategic locations, but will effect how vehicles move within the Flat Bush area on short journeys. No modelling of the traffic impacts of this plan change has been done as the changes are considered to be at a micro not macro level and no changes have been made to the expected total populations of 40,000 people or mix of land-use types. The Flat Bush Transport Design Guide has been developed to provide developers with guidance and indications of acceptable solutions to ensure that the road network ultimately delivers the transport function required of them in this stage of Flat Bush. This will ensure that the road network will be functional, efficient and safe. In addition, travel plans are now required for all development with more than 40 employees on site at any one time and all education facilities with a roll call greater than 50. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 33

38 Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 34

39 8. Implementation of Transport Infrastructure 8.1 Arterial Road Network The Council will seek partial funding from NZTA for upgrading of the arterial roads and to provide key road connections across the greenfinger / park corridors. The Flat Bush Road Network Upgrade Package has been submitted to NZTA for funding approval. The package covers six road upgrade projects in the Flat Bush area, which connect to or are required as part of the infrastructure requirements for Flat Bush Stage Collector and Local Network The current District Plan requires developers to construct and fund all cul-de-sacs, local road, local road park edges and collector roads that form part of new developments. This is the same for Flat Bush. Essentially, the new development funds the provision of these new roads. However, in the Stage 2 area, three new types of Collector Roads have been identified. These are listed in the Flat Bush Road Hierarchy Map (Figure 16.11c Required Roads and Road Types Subject to Specific Design) as: Collector Road with Public Open Space on both sides; Collector Road with Bridge; and Collector Road with Development on one side only. These collector roads will have a greenfinger / park area either on one or both sides of the road. For these roads, the potential for development to occur is therefore constrained by the park / green finger corridor, where due to the park edge, development can only occur on one side of the road or not at all. All of these roads in Stage 2 are located in the south-eastern area. In these cases, it was considered too onerous to burden the whole cost of implementing these sections of collector roads to the directly affected landowner only for the following reasons: In comparison to Local Road Park Edges (where development can also only occur on one side only but is still fully funded by the landowner / developer), the collector road network connectivity benefits a much wider catchment than the adjacent local area; Collector roads are wider than local roads and thus cost more to implement; and The ability to fund the collector road is reduced as development can occur on one side of the road only, or not at all if bordered by public open space on both sides. A strategy to fund these roads has therefore been developed. It encompasses applying a financial levy/contribution to a defined catchment area. The catchment area has been set by determining the population area that will benefit from the implementation of these roads. The financial levy will be applied at subdivision / Resource Consent stage. The defined catchment area and the location of these park edge Collector Roads is outlined in Figure 8.1 overleaf. The area outlined in Figure 8.1 as East of Murphy s Road Catchment Area will be subject to the Stage 2 collector road connectivity financial contribution. A portion of this population base is located within the Stage 3 area. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 35

40 Figure 8.1 East of Murphy s Road Catchment Area This financial contribution strategy does not form part of PC20 as the Manukau City Council District Plan already permits for this to occur with the delegated authority given to the Director of Economic to set the appropriate financial contribution level, although this will need to be reviewed in the new Council. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 36

41 8.2.1 How the financial contribution will be applied or determined Firstly, the developer is to supply all land required for the collector road as is currently required in the District Plan. For Collector Road with Bridges, the bridge would be constructed by the Council and part funded by the financial contribution and other means, such as partial funding from NZTA. A separate funding and implementation strategy has been developed for Collector Roads with Development on one side only. This is outlined below and schematically illustrated in Figure 8.2 below: Developers are to provide the total land required for the collector road, a road reserve width of 19.6m. This is less than the standard collector road reserve width of 21.2m as onstreet parking provision is not considered to be required on the park edge side of the road. Should on-street parking be required to serve the park s users, these can be provided within the park rather than within the road reserve. The developer is to fund up to Local Park Edge road requirements (as per current District Plan for park edge roads), this encompasses road construction up to 13m. Financial contribution for collector road connectivity funds the remainder 6m of collector road. Figure 8.2 Funding contribution strategy for Collector Road with development on one side only Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 37

42 8.3 Passenger Transport Auckland Transport will be responsible for the delivery of the proposed bus services for the area. Developers are expected to provide for the required bus stops on collector and local roads. 8.4 Off-road walking and cycling network As with Stage 1, the Council will implement the off-road walking and cycling network. This will be funded through a range of measures including the general developer financial contribution funds. The Council will also seek partial funding from NZTA. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 38

43 9. Planning and Policy Framework 9.1 Manukau City Council District Plan The key objectives for Flat Bush as contained in the Manukau City Council District Plan (Section ) have not changed with the exception of the introduction of a new as part of this plan change and are reproduced below: Table 9.1 Section from MCC District Plan To create a diversity of living and working environments of high environmental quality within Flat Bush with an emphasis on the sustainable use of a scarce regional and district land resource To facilitate the urbanisation of the area in a manner and at a rate which takes account of the demand for such urbanisation while ensuring the efficient use of the diminishing land resource commensurate with the provision of appropriate levels of amenity for residents in the area To facilitate the development of an appropriate range of densities of development and living and working environments of good amenity within Flat Bush To promote a high quality residential amenity for all types of housing that reflects and responds to community needs and the physical environment both now and into the future To achieve a well connected, adaptable, safe, attractive, healthy and pleasant environment for living and working and travelling with an emphasis on the importance of the public realm including parks, streets, civic areas, roads and the natural environment To achieve a pattern of commerce based on an identifiable community focus within Flat Bush, supported and supplemented by office or institutional activities, along with provision for small business activities and mixed use developments along nominated main roads To ensure the establishment of an appropriate range of physical and social infrastructure and facilities required to enhance the resulting urban environment and address any adverse effects of urbanisation within Flat Bush To protect, sustain, restore and enhance where practicable the remaining terrestrial and aquatic ecology of remnant native vegetation and waterways To achieve a safe, efficient, well connected, and integrated transport system within and beyond the Flat Bush area that provides a choice of travel modes including pedestrian, cycling, passenger transport and motor vehicles To minimise the adverse effects on Auckland International Airport of the establishment of Activities Sensitive to Aircraft Noise within the Moderate Aircraft Noise Area in the Flat Bush Structure Plan Area. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 39

44 9.2 Land Transport Management Act The objectives of the road package associated with Flat Bush are stated in the Flat Bush Community Plan (August 2006). Eight objectives are listed in this plan, several of which clearly contribute to the LTMA objectives, in particular supporting economic development, assisting safety and personal security, improving access and mobility and ensuring environmental sustainability. The relevant objectives are; Objective 4: To achieve a well connected, adaptable, safe, attractive, healthy and pleasant environment for living and working and travelling with an emphasis on the importance of the public realm including parks, streets, civic areas, roads and natural environment; Objective 5: To achieve a pattern of commerce based on an identifiable community focus within Flat Bush, supported and supplemented by office or institutional activities, along with provision foe small business activities and mixed use developments along nominated main roads; and Objective 8: To achieve a safe, efficient, well connected, and integrated transport system within and beyond the Flat Bush area that provides a choice of travel modes including pedestrian, cycling, passenger transport and motor vehicles. 9.3 Regional Policy Statement The Auckland Regional Policy Statement (RPS) provides the overarching planning framework for the sustainable and integrated management of the region s natural and physical resources. It sets out the major direction of transport policy including managing the effects of transport on the environment and developing an accessible transport network. The RPS directs Auckland Councils to identify among other matters, areas of growth and urban containment and to plan for growth and development that complements infrastructure. Flat Bush is identified as a Future Urban Area in the Auckland Regional Policy Statement Schedule 1 (High Density Centres and Corridors and Future Urban Areas). The development of the Flat Bush Structure Plan, Plan Change 20 Flat Bush, Stage 2 Masterplan and Transport Design Guide all contribute to the planning for growth and development that will complement the existing infrastructure. 9.4 Regional Land Transport Strategy The Auckland Regional Land Transport Strategy includes objectives and strategic priorities to integrate transport and land use supportive of the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy and Auckland Regional Policy Statement. The RLTS objectives are to: Assist economic development Assist safety and personal security Improve access and mobility Protect and promote public health Ensure environmental sustainability Support the Regional Growth Strategy Achieve economic efficiency Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 40

45 The supporting documents of the original Flat Bush Structure Plan outlined how the Flat Bush development meets these objectives. PC20 for Stage 2 area continues to meet with these objectives as has been outlined in this report, particularly Sections 3, 4, 5 and Regional Land Transport Programme The Auckland Regional Land Transport Programme (RLTP) includes the Flat Bush road and passenger transport projects that are planned to commence in the next three years. The Flat Bush Network Upgrade Package comprises of upgrading almost 9 km of existing two lane rural roads to modern urban arterial and collector road standard, including the replacement of five bridges and three culverts and the provision of on road cycling facilities. The package also includes the upgrading of a 6.3km Quality Transit Network connection between Flat Bush and the Manukau City Centre and the construction of a 38 km network of off road walking and cycling pathways. To date approximately a quarter of the network upgrades have been completed or commenced. ARTA has indicated that this package has a regional priority of 14. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 41

46 Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 42

47 10. Summary and Conclusions The original structure plan to develop a new town in Flat Bush to cater for 40,000 people was approved in However, the area was to be released for development in three stages. This was deliberate to enable Council to undertake a review of those areas already developed before releasing further land. Most of the Stage 1 area has now been developed and was reviewed in The review identified several areas for improvement in both land-use and urban design aspects as well as transport. The key recommendation was for a Masterplan and design guide to be produced before further land is released for development. Now that most of Stage 1 area has been developed, there is a need to release further land. The main purpose of Plan Change 20 is to release the Stage 2 area of Flat Bush for development. Taking on board the Stage 1 review recommendation, a Masterplan has been developed for the Stage 2 area and used to shape the proposed plan change for Stage 2. The Masterplan process aimed to improve the integration between land use, transport and urban form and function. The Flat Bush Transport Design Guide was also developed as a key supporting document to the proposed plan change. Development of the Masterplan was guided by a multi disciplinary team within the Council. It was also informed by the Flat Bush Sounding Board, the Community Boards of Otara and Botany-Clevedon and by the feedback received from the community and key stakeholder consultation undertaken in April and May The proposed Masterplan was subsequently used to develop Plan Change 20. Plan Change 20, along with the Flat Bush Transport Design Guide was adopted by Council on 7 September 2010 and notified on 27 October All plan changes in the Auckland Region must be accompanied by an Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA). The purpose of this ITA is to demonstrate how transport and land use have been integrated in the development of Stage 2 of Flat Bush and to illustrate how the plan change affects transport. The scope of the ITA has mainly focussed on the initiatives in Plan Change 20 that address some of the transport-related issues identified in Stage 1 and the measures taken to encourage access by all modes of transport, including passenger transport, walking and cycling. This ITA has not looked at traffic generation forecasts or CO 2 emissions and noise as these matters were addressed in the original Plan Change 13 for the Flat Bush Structure Plan, which was supported by a comprehensive traffic impact assessment and transport modelling. Further, PC20 for Stage 2 does not affect the total population prediction of 40,000 people, land-use mixes or expected traffic generation. Nor are there any significant changes to the travel patterns expected as there are no changes to the connections between the internal and external roading networks, only internal layout changes. The key change presented by Stage 2 of most relevance to this ITA is that a more finely-grained local and collector road network has been determined for the Stage 2 area, via the Masterplan, and which is now incorporated in the proposed new Structure Plan. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 43

48 The grid network also presents the greatest benefit for transport as a well connected street network results in a high degree of accessibility and choice of routes for people, encouraging greater levels of walking, cycling and passenger transport use. The straighter roads will also make the area more legible and easier to navigate through, with long vistas along roads making travelling through the area more pleasant. Good connectivity and a strong collector road network also leads to a more even dispersal of traffic throughout the area, with short trips not necessarily requiring access to the main road network. This in turn reduces the need to continually have to widen arterial roads, which is often at the detriment of the adjoining land-uses and non-motorised user s needs. The new road network for Stage 2 will therefore contribute towards a more sustainable development in Flat Bush. Proposed Plan Change 20 also incorporates many other transport-related improvements. This includes providing more guidance on how Murphy s Road should be developed the only arterial in Stage 2, a requirement for passive traffic calming measures on collector roads which will also enhance street amenity, a range of intersection improvements to enhance the pedestrian environment, increasing footpath widths, a requirement for developments to provide for bus stops at time of development and a requirement for key activities to develop a Travel Plan and provide bicycle parking. The development of the Flat Bush Transport Design Guide is a new feature for the area and is intended to help guide developers, their consultants and Council staff by explaining more clearly the transport outcomes that Council is seeking for Flat Bush and reasons for this. The overall aim is to ensure that the transport outcomes sought by the Council and the community in Flat Bush do transpire on the ground. The original Flat Bush Development proposed as part of Variation 13 included many improvement strategies to influence travel, including development of a high quality and accessible bus network for the area, upgrading of key road connections and development of an extensive walking and cycling network. Stage 1 has already delivered on a portion of these aspects and the completion of Stage 2 in accordance with PC20 will bring the overall transport network plan for the area a step closer to completion. The benefits of Flat Bush s integrated and well planned transport network can then be fully realised. The vision for Flat Bush was to develop it with a strong focus on sustainable development and making the community s needs a high priority. Whilst there were many positive outcomes from Stage 1, the Council has recognised that some areas could be done better in future developments of the area. This has been taken on board in the proposed PC20 for Stage 2. Together with the supporting Flat Bush Transport Design Guide it is considered that the proposed transport and land-use plans outlined in PC20 for Stage 2 have been well integrated and that a sustainable development as originally envisaged for the area will be achieved. Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc 44

49 Appendix A Flat Bush Transport Design Guide Flatbush Stage 2 Integrated Transport Assessment 51/28971/01/Flatbush ITA_V01.doc

50 FLAT BUSH TRANSPORT DESIGN GUIDE Manukau City Council October 2010 Final Word / PDF Version NOTE: This version is currently being published in a more styled format.

51

52 Contents Executive Summary i 1 Introduction 1 2 Pedestrian Focus 4 3 Road Network 5 4 Road Typologies Local Roads Standard Local and Local Roads Park Edge Special Local Road Park Edge Collector Roads Collector Roads Park Edge Arterial Roads Murphy s Road Roads with Sensitive or Special Land Uses (e.g. Neighbourhood Centres and Schools) Cul-de-Sacs 39 5 Intersection Treatments 40 6 Bus Network 50 7 Walking and Cycling Network 53 8 Travel Plans 55 9 Bicycle Parking References 58 Produced by Manukau City Council with assistance from GHD Ltd. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline - i -

53 Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline - ii -

54 Executive Summary The main purpose of this guideline is to help ensure the transport outcomes sought by Council and the community in Flat Bush transpire on the ground. It aims to do this by providing additional explanation to some of the transportrelated objectives, rules and assessment criteria contained in the District Plan. It also contains indications of acceptable solutions on transport matters related to the Flat Bush development. This guide sits alongside the District Plan as a non-statutory document and will be used by Council as a tool to assess development applications in Flat Bush. It has been developed for Stage 2, however, can also be applied to areas within Stage 1 which are yet to be developed. Key points contained in this guideline is summarised below. Pedestrian Focus Stage 2 will provide a better environment for pedestrians to make Flat Bush more pedestrian friendly and encourage greater levels of walking. A range of measures have been incorporated in the District Plan, however, a key feature is that footpath widths have been increased from the absolute minimum of 1.5m to 1.8m on all local and collector roads. Wider footpath widths will be required on arterial roads and roads adjacent to sensitive or special land-uses such as neighbourhood centres or schools. Road Network The largest component of transport related changes for Stage 2 is the new grid road layout. This also presents the greatest benefit for transport. Whilst the positions of the arterial, collector and local road park edge network can not be changed, the District Plan does allow developers to put forward an alternative local road layout for a defined area - subject to it being planned on a comprehensive basis. All alternative local road layouts must maintain the position of specified key local road connections between the defined areas. Road Typologies There are nine types of roads in Flat Bush, seven of which are found in Stage 2. Key points outlined in this guideline in relation to these roads include: On-street parking is a key traffic calming feature on Local and Local Road Park Edge s. For these roads, it is considered essential that one vehicle can park on-street in front of a property and desirable for driveways to be off-set so that the on-street parking creates a chicane effect which also helps to slow vehicle speeds. It is also important to ensure that lot subdivisions and driveway configurations allow trees and street lighting to be provided in the front berm. A new local road has been developed called Flat Bush Special Local Park Edge Road. The road is adjacent to a proposed new primary school as well as the sports fields in Murphy s Park, so a high level of activity is expected to occur. The road width allows for two way travel lanes at all times whilst still maintaining a slow speed environment and providing for on-street parking on the development side. The use of tree build out pairs provided at regular intervals along Collector Roads is now required to act as a passive traffic calming measure to help maintain a maximum vehicle speed environment of 50kph. The build outs will also improve street amenity through the provision of additional trees and can be converted into kerb extensions where required. Three new types of Collector Roads have been developed for Stage 2 as their location adjacent to a park either on one or both sides of the road require a different road cross section than the standard. Murphy s Road is currently a two-lane rural road which will be upgraded into a four-lane urban District Arterial Road by the Council in line with development. This guideline outlines a proposed strategy for the development of Murphy s Road to guide the road up-grade project. This includes proposed intersection treatments and indicative cross sections. Key features include providing on-street parking where required, limiting local side road access, limiting or prohibiting direct property access off Murphy s Road, providing a quality road edge environment that encourages pedestrian activity and high quality cycle facilities. The guideline outlines key transport outcomes sought from roads surrounding sensitive or special land uses, specifically around neighbourhood centres and schools. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline - iii -

55 Cul-de-Sacs in Stage 2 will not be common, however, where they are to be provided they must have a carriageway width of 6m and provide for footpaths on both sides of the road. Intersection Treatments The introduction of the grid network in Stage 2 means there will be longer straighter roads which if not treated appropriately, can lead to higher vehicles speeds. How intersections are treated can help to manage vehicles speeds. It is therefore important to apply appropriate treatments to intersections in Flat Bush. Key points in this guideline on intersection treatments for Flat Bush are: Not providing continuous priority on local roads by alternating give way priorities approximately every three or more blocks. Use of 7m corner radius on local to local and local to collector road intersections. Locating pedestrian pram crossings on pedestrian desire lines. Use of roundabouts at specific locations on local and collector roads where there is a need to break up significantly long stretches of straight road. Use of left-in and left-out only treatment on access to/from a local side road and Murphy s Road. Avoid use of slip or decelerating lanes from an arterial to a collector or local road. Avoid use of free left slip lanes, except in exceptional cases where it is demonstrated to be justified. Bus Network Bus is the only practical mode for passenger transport in the Flat Bush area. To ensure the proposed bus network for the area is supported with appropriately located bus stops, the District Plan now requires bus stops to be provided for at time of development in accordance with an indicative bus stop location map. The map only provides an indicative location, so the final location and layout of proposed new bus stops is to be determined through discussion with the Council s appropriate Transport Team when the subdivision plans for an area are being initiated. Walking and Cycling Network Once fully developed, Flat Bush will have an extensive off-road cycling and walking path network. It is important to ensure there is good interface between the off-road path network and the road network where they meet. This guideline recommends providing some form of informal or formal crossing facility for pedestrians and cyclists where the off-road walking and cycling network intersects or connects with the road network. It provides examples of crossing facilities and where they may be used on the road network. Travel Plans The District Plan now requires all activities in Flat Bush with 40 or more employees on the premises at any one time and any education facility with a roll greater than 50 to develop a Travel Plan. This guideline provides additional explanation as to what a Travel Plan aims to do and what types of measures might be included in one. It also recommends that developers / organisations initiate early discussion with the Council and relevant Transport Department when about to develop a Travel Plan. Use of the Auckland regional travel plan programme TravelWise is also recommended as it provides a process for developing a Travel Plan. Cycle Parking It is important to provide appropriate cycle parking facilities to support the extensive off-road and on-road cycling network being developed in Flat Bush. This guideline outlines the various measures in which the District Plan now requires key activities in Flat Bush to provide cycle parking. Cross reference is made to the ARTA document Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA) Guidelines and Supplementary Document E Guidance Note for Cycle Parking, October 2007 for guidelines on cycle parking provision ratios and other design considerations. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline - iv -

56 1. Introduction The vision for Flat Bush is to develop it with a strong focus on sustainable development and making the community s needs a high priority. A key part of this vision is a sustainable transport system that is safe, efficient, well connected and integrated with land-use, catering for the movement of vehicles as well as enabling the community to walk, cycle and use passenger transport for many of their journeys. The District Plan is quite specific in how it sees the Flat Bush area developing. Of relevance to this document is what it says on transport, and the close interaction between transport and urban form. Some of the key points are summarised in Box Context for this guideline The District Plan contains a structure plan for the development of Flat Bush, with the land is being released for development in a staged manner. The first release of land, Stage 1, consisted of approximately 35% of the overall Flat Bush area. Most of this area has now been developed. Whilst there were many positive outcomes in Stage 1, a review in 2008 found that a number of areas could be done better 1. For transport, these were related to the layout and design of the road network and impact of this on the ability and attractiveness for people to walk, cycle or take passenger transport; and the relationship between road design and adjoining land uses and vice versa. Stage 2 is now being released for development. This Transport Design Guideline has been produced to help achieve a better outcome in Stage 2, as well as Stage 3 in the future. Stage 2 covers 350ha of land in an area south of Flat Bush School Road and east of Murphy s Road. It does not include the Flat Bush town centre, which will be developed separately and be subject to its own masterplan document. 1 Transurban, Flat Bush Spatial Structure and Built Form Review, October 2008 Figure 1.1 and 1.2 illustrates the Flat Bush structure plan, overall staging programme and the Stage 2 area. 1.2 Aim and purpose of this guideline The purpose of this guideline is to: Help ensure the transport outcomes sought by Council and the community in Flat Bush transpire on the ground; Help guide developers of the Flat Bush area, their consultants and Council staff when developing and processing development applications by explaining more clearly the transport outcomes that Council is seeking for Flat Bush and reasons for this; Avoid having to re-invent solutions for every new development application; and Achieve integration and a consistency in approach between the different development stages. It aims to do this by providing additional explanation to some of the transportrelated objectives, rules and assessment criteria contained in the District Plan. It also contains best practice design principles and indications of acceptable solutions on transport matters related to the Flat Bush development. 1.3 Application This guide sits alongside the District Plan as a non-statutory document and will be used by Council as a tool to assess development applications in Flat Bush. It is not intended to be prescriptive as it is recognised that some sites will present their own constraints and some flexibly will need to be exercised. However, development applications that contain the acceptable solutions outlined in this guideline will lower their risk of obtaining Resource Consents and provide increased certainty for developers. This guide has been developed for Stage 2, however, can also be applied to areas within Stage 1 which are yet to be developed. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

57 Box 1 Key transport outcomes sought for Flat Bush outlined in Manukau City Council District Plan The transport network is a critical part of the public realm. Streets provide a multiple range of functions beyond just for transport or for providing for the movement of cars. This includes neighbourhood identity, open space, a place to meet others, a place of recreation, a place for large street trees and a place for other forms of transportation such as cycling and walking. A desire to build on existing grid structure of road network to provide good connectivity and permeability to the road network. This will allow traffic to be dispersed at low volumes through out the residential environment with short trips not necessarily requiring access to the main road network. A desire to create a slow vehicle speed environment within the local road network of 40kph. This will ensure that residential amenity is not degraded, safety for pedestrians and cyclists is provided and that the streets can be used for a wide range of functions. Expectation that the transport network should facilitate and/or provide the following benefits: - easy access to and from bus stops, shops, schools, work places, reserves and other amenities; - greater convenience for pedestrians and cyclists and a reduction in car dependency; - shorter car trips which offer economic benefits through fuel savings and environmental benefits due to less fuel emissions; - ease of use and navigation by it's users (i.e. good legibility); - reduced congestion on arterial roads as local traffic can permeate through a connected street network; - assist the lower order streets in having more vehicle movement at quiet times which will contribute to greater safety from crime for pedestrians and residents by offering increased informal surveillance; - improved contact between residents and the wider community; - improved health, social and recreational opportunities; and - the transport network should be safe for all of its users. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

58 Figure 1.1 Flat Bush Masterplan Figure 1.2 Flat Bush Land Release Staging Plan Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

59 2. Pedestrian focused Stage 2 will provide a better environment for pedestrians. In addition to continuing to progress the extensive off-road paths in the park or green finger network, other improvements in Stage 2 will include provision of: A grid network for improved connectivity and legibility. See Section 3 of this guide; Wider footpaths. Footpath widths have been increased from the absolute minimum of 1.5m to 1.8m on all local and collector roads to assist in making Flat Bush more pedestrian friendly and encourage greater levels of walking 2. Wider footpath widths will be required on arterial roads and roads adjacent to sensitive or special land-uses such as neighbourhood centres or schools - see sections 4.5 and 4.6 of this guide. Better quality crossing points located on pedestrian desire lines and tighter intersection corner radii on local road intersections to shorten pedestrian crossing distances. See Section 5 of this guide; and Better interface between the extensive off-road path network and the road network through use of appropriate pedestrian and cyclists crossing facilities. See Section 7 of this guide. Picture Source: PPDG, page Manukau City Council District Plan, Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

60 3. Road Network Figure 3.1 Flat Bush road hierarchy Road Hierarchy The Flat Bush area incorporates an existing network of arterial and collector roads with a new grid network of collector and local roads proposed. This road network is divided up into a road hierarchy made up of a primary and secondary network of roads. The primary network consists of regional and district arterials and its main transport function is to provide for through travel mobility. The secondary network is made-up of local and collector roads and its main transport function is to provide direct access to adjacent properties and connect them with the wider primary road network. There are nine types of roads in Flat Bush, seven of which are found in Stage 2. These are: Regional Arterial Road; District Arterial Road; Collector Road standard or with no on-road cycle lanes; Collector Road, with on-road cycle lanes; Collector Road Park Edge (there are three sub-sets of this type); Local Road; Local Road Park Edge; Special Local Road Park Edge; and Cul-de-sacs. In Stage 2, there are no Regional Arterial Roads or Collector Roads with onroad cycle lanes and only one District Arterial that is Murphy s Road. Each road type performs different functions and Section 4 of this guide provides a more detailed outline of the main functions and purposes of these roads. Figure 3.1 outlines the Flat Bush road network and hierarchy. 3 Manukau City Council District Plan, Figure C and Figure Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

61 3.2 A grid road pattern The largest component of transport related changes for Stage 2 is the new grid road layout. The finely grained grid network and rectangular block structure also presents the greatest benefit for transport. A well connected or permeable street network results in a high degree of accessibility and a choice of routes for people, which encourages greater levels of walking, cycling and passenger transport use. The straighter roads will also make the area more legible and easier to navigate through, with long vistas along roads making travelling through the area more pleasant. For example, people would be able to see a park at the end of the road, rather than just houses Good connectivity and a strong collector road network also leads to a more even spread of motor traffic throughout the area, with short trips not necessarily requiring access to the main road network. This dispersal of traffic will help to alleviate traffic flow pressure on the arterial roads and their intersections. This in turn reduces the need to continually have to widen arterial roads, which is often at the detriment of the adjoining land-uses and non-motorised user s needs. The new road network for Stage 2 will therefore contribute towards a more sustainable development in Flat Bush. 3.2 Alternative Local Road Layouts The District Plan indicates the positions of the arterial, collector and local road park edge network which can not be changed. However, it does allow developers to put forward an alternative local road layout for a defined subcatchment subject to it being planned on a comprehensive basis, i.e. for the whole sub-catchment area and not just a small part of it. Figure 3.2 outlines these sub-catchment areas. The sub-catchment areas have been determined based on the natural borders presented by the greenfinger / park gullies that are a key feature of Flat Bush, the Murphy s Park edge and the border presented by Murphy s Road. All alternative local road layouts must maintain the position of specified key local road connections between sub-catchment areas. The location of these and reason for them to be maintained is outlined in Figure Outcomes sought from alternative local road layouts A proposed alternative local road layout will only be accepted subject to it meeting certain assessment criteria. These are listed in the District Plan in sections and The following are the key transport criteria that an alternative local road network proposal for a sub-catchment area must meet: Maintains the finely grained grid road layout concept. This means that adjoining local roads should connect with each other in a straight line, as much as possible, taking into consideration topographical or other constraints, to ensure there is a high degree of connectivity within the road network presenting the community with a choice of travel routes, maintain the legibility of the road network, view shafts and reveal the landscape; All intersecting carriageways should generally meet at 90 o. Staggered local road intersections are not desirable as they compromise the legibility sought from a grid network; Local roads should be constructed as per the Rules in the District Plan Chapter 8 Transportation, Chapter 9 Land Modification, Development and Subdivision and Chapter Flat Bush; and Local roads should meet the outcomes sought as outlined in Section 4.1 in this Transport Design Guideline.. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

62 Figure 3.2 Sub-catchments for alternative local road layouts and key local road connections to be maintained The location of the following local road connections between sub-catchment areas should be maintained for the following reasons: 1. This local road connection provides a continuous connection between Chapel Road, a District Arterial, and the local road catchment indicated as subcatchment 1 and 2, as well as linking Chapel Road directly with Murphy s Park. 2. This local road crossing forms part of the road network that frames Murphy s Park and provides a key link between sub-catchment 2 and This local road connection forms part of the road network that frames Murphy s Park. It also provides a direct connection to the Special Local Road Park Edge located opposite it, across Murphy s Road. It is proposed that this intersection be signalised. The location of this local road should therefore be maintained to help achieve this intersection treatment. 4. This local road is an existing rural local road that crosses the greenfinger gully between sub-catchment 6 and 7. This local road connection is to be maintained as it is the only crossing point between the two sub-catchment areas. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

63 4. Road Typologies This section outlines the typology of roads found in Stage 2. The typology of a road is defined by its adjacent land uses, community or public space objectives and determining the function of each type of road for various users. The main functions of the road should in turn be reflected in the road s crosssection. A well designed road will naturally inform and direct appropriate behaviours from drivers in terms of priority and speed. One of the challenges that this guideline responds to is keeping speeds low on straight roads. This is addressed through cross sections and intersection treatments (the latter is discussed in Section 5). A passive approach to speed control is to be promoted. This means encouraging driving at lower speeds in response to the surrounding environment. Specific references in Manukau City Council s District Plan on Flat Bush s road types, required form and outcomes sought can be found in sections , and Local Roads and Local Roads Park Edge Function The dominant land-use along Flat Bush s local roads is housing, which can sometimes be interspersed with other uses such as small scale community, retail or commercial activity. Where housing can occur on both sides of the road, the road is termed a Local Road. In Flat Bush, many local roads are also located directly adjacent to a green finger reserve or park area, so development can only occur on one side of the road. These roads are termed Local Road Park Edge. The main transport function of a local road is to provide direct access to properties and provide a connection between them and the wider transport network of collector and arterial roads. Vehicle movements need to be provided for, however, this is to be balanced with the equally important function of the street for community living, walking and cycling. Traffic volumes are expected to be low and slow. Buses are not expected to travel on local roads. With low vehicle volumes and speeds cyclists can travel safely and comfortably on the carriageway and share the road with vehicles. A high level of on-street parking is expected on local roads to cater for the residential activities. Local roads are where people live and play and the street environment should allow and encourage a range of pedestrian or community activity Form District Plan width requirements 4 Road Reserve Carriageway Flat Bush Local Road 18.2m 7.8m Flat Bush Local Road Park Edge 14m 7.8m The carriageway widths allows for two way travel lanes when there is no onstreet parking. With parking, this reduces to a one-way travel lane, where vehicles need to give way to each other to let the other vehicle pass. The narrow carriageway combined with no centre line delineation informs drivers of the share with care environment. The road reserve width allows for footpaths and front and back berms on either side of a local road, and on the development side only for a Local Road Park Edge. A recreational path will tend to be provided by the Council s Park s Department on the park-side of these roads, which follows more closely the streams and gullies and is thus more meandering. Figures 4.1 and 4.2 illustrate the Local and Local Road Park Edge cross sections and functional use. 4 Manukau City Council District Plan, Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

64 4.1.3 Outcomes Sought The specific outcomes sought for local roads and how these are to be achieved are outlined in Table 4.1. A key part towards achieving the outcomes sought for local roads is to ensure that on-street parking can occur and that regular spaced trees in the front berm can be planted. In Stage 1, this was not able to be achieved in some parts due to too narrow lot widths and driveway layouts not providing the minimum required space once minimum visibility distance requirements from driveways and street lighting columns were taken into consideration. For Stage 2, it is important that both aspects do occur as on-street parking is one of the main traffic calming measures assumed to be in place to manage traffic speeds on local roads. Trees in the front berm are fundamental for creating the livable street environment sought for local roads. They also act as a traffic calming measure by creating a sense of enclosure that discourages drivers from speeding. However, street lighting must also be provided to ensure a safe environment. To ensure the outcomes sought for local roads are achieved on the ground, this guide recommends that: Essential: Development plans demonstrate proposed lot layouts and driveway configurations allow one vehicle to park on-street in front of a property and that trees as well as street lighting can be provided in the front berm in accordance with Manukau City Councils Engineering Quality Standards (EQS). The new minimum block width of 12.5m proposed as part of Plan Change 20 will help to achieve this. Desirable: Development plans off set driveways so that on-street parking creates a chicane effect, which in turn creates horizontal deflection that helps to slow traffic speeds. Figure 4.3 schematically illustrates the concept. Figure 4.1 Local Road Cross Section Figure 4.2 Local Road Park Edge Cross Section Note: Cross section of carriageway illustrates a use of the carriageway rather than delineated spaces Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

65 Figure 4.3 Schematic illustration of driveways off-set to achieve a chicane effect with on-street parking Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

66 Table 4.1 Outcomes sought for Local Road and Local Road Park Edge Outcomes sought: 1 Slower speed environment for motor vehicles maximum target vehicle speed of 40kph. Achieve through: Narrower carriageway 7.8m. Carriageway width allows parking to occur on both sides of the road. When this occurs, the through travel lane becomes a wide single lane and passing vehicles need to give way to each other to pass, creating a slow speed environment. No centre line delineation of carriageway further enforces the share with care environment to drivers. Trees planted in front berm helps to narrow the corridor width to the driver perception, thus acting as a traffic calming measure. Intersection treatments to avoid continuous priority on local roads see Section 5. 2 A quality street environment. Trees in the front berm will enhance street amenity. 3 Ability to park on-street at fairly regular spacing intervals to cater for residential needs and to act as a traffic calming measure on the street. 4 An environment that encourages pedestrian activity on the street. 5 Cyclists can safely and comfortably share the carriageway with vehicles. 6 Emergency and service vehicles, such as refuse collection, house moving or furniture delivery trucks, are able to access properties. Wider footpaths Carriageway width allows for parking on both sides of the road. Lot subdivision plans should allow one vehicle to be parked in front of each lot. The new minimum lot width of 12.5m proposed as part of Plan Change 20 should help to achieve this. Driveways should ideally be off-set so that on-street parking creates a chicane effect. This in turn creates horizontal deflection that helps to slow traffic speeds. Low volumes of traffic and creation of a slower vehicle speed environment A quality street environment achieved through tree planting in the front berm. The front berm also creates a green buffer between the carriageway and pedestrian area. Provision of wider footpaths on both sides of the road for standard local roads. For local road park edge, provision of a footpath on the side that development occurs on and provision of a recreational footpath on the green finger / park side. Creation of a low and slower traffic speed environment No centre line delineation of carriageway further enforces the share with care environment to drivers. Carriageway width and intersection widths allow for the movement of these vehicles. 7 Ability to provide for services (minimum 3.2m required). Road reserve width contains sufficient footpath and back berm width to provide for this. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

67 4.2 Flat Bush Special Local Road Park Edge A new Special Local Road category has been introduced in Stage 2. This is related to a specific section along Murphy s Park and the site of a proposed new primary school. Figure 4.4 indicates the road s location Function The park will provide six new sports playing fields that will be an important local as well as regional facility. The playing fields will require a reasonable amount of parking and it is preferable to provide this along the park and street edge rather than as a stand alone large car park within the park. Access to the playing fields and the school will be from the local road. Whilst the playing fields and school will be two special land uses on this local road, residential will still be one of the main land uses. Due to this mix of land-uses, this section of local road will experience a higher amount of activity than normally expected on a local road, particularly during school start and end times and when events are being held at the playing fields. Both traffic-generating events could also occur at the same time, creating even more activity on the road. For this reason a new road type that is slightly wider than the standard local road is required Form District Plan width requirements 5 Road Reserve Carriageway Flat Bush Special Local Road Park Edge 14m 8.1m Figures 4.5 illustrate the roads cross section. The slightly wider carriageway and provision of parking within the park allows two way travel lanes at all times and on-street parking on the school and residential side of the road. This allows vehicles to keep moving and clearing the area even with a high level of parking and drop-off / pick-up activity. Even though the carriageway is slightly wider than a standard local road, it is still narrow. This combined with no centre line delineation will continue to inform drivers of the share with care and slow speed environment expected of them when using this road. The road reserve width allows for a shared 3m path on the school side (see Section 4.6.2) Outcomes sought The specific outcomes sought and how these are to be achieved are outlined in Table 4.2. The plan view in Figure 4.6 provides an indication as to how the Council sees this road looking and performing. The following points should be noted when considering Figure 4.6: The plan view provides an indicative park edge parking and vehicle access layout. However, the most appropriate parking layout is to be determined and finalised at time of development. Due to the high level of activity by both vehicles and pedestrians (adults and children) associated with the primary school and the inherent danger of angle parking where cars tend to reverse out of the parking space the park edge parking along the local road directly adjacent to the school site should be separated from the local road carriageway by a raised island. The raised island should be lined with a No Stopping At All Times (NSATT). The raised island only needs to be provided along the extent of the school site. Thereafter, the park edge parking can use the local road carriageway as manoeuvring space. The park edge parking along the collector road side of the park may also use part of the road carriageway as manoeuvring space. This will help to reduce the width of paved area required. It is envisaged that the on-street parking on the school/housing side will be delineated from the travel lane by a drainage channel (see Figure 4.7). The drainage channel therefore acts as a stormwater as well as additional traffic calming measure by narrowing the road. 5 Manukau City Council District Plan, Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

68 Figure 4.4 Location of Flat Bush Special Local Road Park Edge Figure 4.5 Flat Bush Special Local Road Park Edge Cross Section Figure 4.7 Photo of drainage channel Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

69 Table 4.2 Outcomes sought for Flat Bush Special Local Road Park Edge Outcomes sought: Achieve through: Outcomes sought that are specific to Special Local Road Park Edge 1 Slower speed environment for motor vehicles but with 2- way travel lanes always available. 2 Ability to park on development and school side to serve residential and school uses. 3 Ability to park along the park edge to serve park user needs. 4 Easy and safe pedestrian access between school and playing fields. Carriageway width of 8.1m. This allows for two 2.8m travel lanes at all times, regardless of on-street parking, however they are narrow enough to maintain slower traffic speeds. No centre line delineation of carriageway further enforces the share with care environment to drivers. Use of a drainage channel to delineate between on-street parking on the development / school side and the travel lane. This acts as another traffic calming measure, in addition to being a stormwater measure. Carriageway width allows for this. The park edge parking will be provided within the park reserve area i.e. will not form part of road reserve. This will be funded by the Council s Park s Department. Park s have indicated a preference for angle parking along the park edge to cater for the expected high demand for parking. Park edge parking along the local road should be separated from the local road carriageway by a raised island for the section opposite the school side only. An indicative layout has been shown in Figure 4.7. The exact parking layout along the park edge can be determined and finalised at time of development. Provision of appropriate pedestrian access points across the parking areas, e.g. through use of build-outs, raised tables, etc. 5 A quality park edge environment. Row of park edge parking should be broken up intermittently by tree build outs. 6 School children cyclists able to safely and comfortably cycle off-road as they converge near the school. Provision of a 3m shared cycle and pedestrian path on the side of the road where the school is located. A 3m shared cycle and pedestrian path will also be provided around Murphy s Bush Park. This will be implemented by the Council s Park s Department. Outcomes sought that are the same as that listed for local and local road park edge: 7 Cyclists able to safely and comfortably share the carriageway with vehicles. Creation of a low and slower motor vehicle speed environment No centre line delineation of carriageway further enforces the share with care environment to drivers. 8 A quality street environment. Provision of trees in front berm will enhance street amenity, although front berm will be reduced to 1.5m due to provision of 3m shared path along this section of local road. Wider footpaths 9 Service vehicles able to access properties. Carriageway width and intersection widths allow for the movement of these vehicles. 10 Ability to provide for services (minimum 3.2m required). Road reserve width contains sufficient footpath and back berm width to provide for this. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

70 Figure 4.6 Plan view of Flat Bush Special Local Road Park Edge and indicative park edge parking treatment (Note: Layout of park edge parking shown as indicative and to be finalised at time of development) Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

71 4.3 Collector Roads Function Land-uses along Flat Bush s collector roads will range from those that are predominantly residential in nature, those edged by parks and those with a mix of small to medium scale commercial activities and housing. Key community functions such as schools, religious centres and recreational facilities are often found on collector roads. The main transport function of collector roads is to collect and distribute traffic to and from the arterial and local road network and to provide access to properties. They can also act as local main roads supplementing the primary network and through traffic generally make up a high proportion of the traffic-flow. Bus services often operate along collector roads. Collector roads also serve as an important part of the city s cycling network, allowing cyclists to travel within and between neighbourhoods without the need to use higher volume arterial roads. The vehicle speed on collector roads will typically be between 40 and 50km/h, depending on the type of adjoining development (the speed will be lowest in school zones) and frequency of local access and intersections Form District Plan width requirements 6 Road Reserve Carriageway Collector Road in Flat Bush Residential 3 and 4 Zones 21.2m 10.8m Outcomes Sought The specific outcomes sought for collector roads and how these are to be achieved are outlined in Table 4.3. The carriageway width assumes on-street parking will act as a traffic calming measure. However, when there is no or little on-street parking, the carriageway can appear too wide. This can encourage drivers to travel beyond the speed limit and results in a low level of street amenity. A key outcome for collector roads in the Stage 2 area is to achieve a maximum vehicle speed environment of 50kph and to enhance street amenity in general. This will be achieved through the provision of tree build out pairs. Build outs are a passive or soft form of traffic calming that aim to achieve reduction in vehicle speeds by being self-enforcing, i.e. they aim to naturally influence driver behaviour and do not rely on active enforcement 7. The tree build outs will reduce the travel lane widths at regular intervals along the road. This will help to achieve a slower speed environment over the length of the road, whilst also improving street amenity through the provision of additional trees. Where required, the build outs can be turned into kerb extensions instead to provide pedestrians with shorter distances to cross the street. Figure 4.8 provides a cross section for a collector road. Figure 4.9 and 4.10 provides a plan view of the type of tree build out required and how this can be modified to kerb extensions. The collector road carriageway needs to provide for two travel lanes plus onstreet parking on both sides of the roads. They must also be able to cater for bus movements. Full private access is permitted on collector roads. The intention of a standard collector road is for the carriageway to be shared by its various users. Therefore, clearly delineated parking or cycle lanes should not be provided to enforce the share with care environment to drivers. 6 Manukau City Council District Plan, Austroads, Guide to Traffic Management Part 8: Local Area Traffic Management, 2008, pg 36. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

72 Figure 4.8 Standard Collector Road with traffic calming measures Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

73 Figure 4.9 Plan view of tree build out Figure 4.10 Build out as a kerb extensions Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

74 Table 4.3 Outcomes sought for Standard Collector Roads Outcomes sought: 1 Two way travel lanes at all times, plus ability to park on both sides of the road 2 Appropriate speed environment for vehicles - maximum of 50kph Achieve through: Carriageway width allows for this. Traffic calming effect achieved through: - Ability to park on-street on both sides of the road; - Use of tree build out pairs provided at relatively even spacing along the road; and - Regularly spaced trees in front berm to narrow the corridor width to driver perception. 3 A quality street environment Provision of trees in the front berm and in build outs Wider footpaths 4 An environment that encourages pedestrian activity on the street 5 Cyclists can safely and comfortably share the carriageway with vehicles Creation of an appropriate vehicle speed environment Regularly spaced trees in front berm and build outs Front berm also creates a green buffer between the carriageway and the pedestrian area. Wider footpaths Where required, build-outs can be turned into kerb extensions to provide pedestrians with shorter crossing distances. Creation of an appropriate vehicle speed environment Stormwater measures and maintenance-hole covers to be located outside of cyclist s wheel paths. 6 Bus movements catered for Carriageway width and intersection widths allow for the movement of these vehicles Berm and footpath width allows for the provision of bus stop infrastructure, such as bus stop signs and shelters. 7 Service vehicles are able to access properties Carriageway width and intersection widths allow for the movement of these vehicles. 8 Ability to provide for services (minimum 3.2m required). Road reserve width contains sufficient footpath and back berm width to provide for this. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

75 4.3.4 Guidelines on layout and spacing of tree build outs The District Plan requires Collector Roads in Stage 2 to provide tree build outs as follows 8 : On block lengths less than 80m one set of opposing tree build outs are required; On block lengths between 80m and 140m two sets of opposing tree build outs are required; On block lengths between 140m and 200m a minimum of three sets of opposing tree build outs are required; and On block lengths >200m a minimum of four sets of opposing tree build outs are required. Further, that the provision of tree builds outs must be as follows: For block lengths of less than 80m, tree build out pairs must be provided in the middle of the block length, within a range of 5m either side. For block lengths greater than 80m, tree build out pairs within the block length shall be no closer than 40m apart and no further than 65m apart. All tree build out pairs must be provided directly opposing each other and may not be staggered. This section provides explanation and further guidance on this rule. 1. Spacing of tree build outs within a block length In the Structure Plan, block ends or block lengths shorter than 80m make up the majority of blocks fronting the collector roads in Stage 2. These types of blocks require one pair of opposing build outs in the middle of each block length as schematically illustrated in Figure These can be provided within a range of 5m either side of the exact middle of the block length to accommodated various lot and driveway layouts and widths. The Structure Plan also contains block lengths that are longer than 80m fronting the collector road. The lengths range, with the maximum length permitted being 250m. These blocks will therefore have different numbers of build outs, depending on their length. This is schematically illustrated in Figure 4.11 For block lengths longer than 80m, the required spacing between each build out is between 40m (minimum) and 65m (maximum) within the block length. The spacing: Aims to achieve a reasonably uniform vehicle speed profile, i.e. not too much speed variation along the street, and avoid having vehicles decelerating and then accelerating between the build outs. Recognises that soft measures such as build outs need to be spaced closer than hard measures and that a traffic-calmed neighbourhood relies on the constant reminders about the need to drive slowly 9. Ensures the build outs are placed at regular and frequent intervals, whilst still providing some flexibility to accommodate other road features such as street lighting, driveways and bus stops. 2. Tree build out pairs to be provided directly opposing each other It is important to provide build out pairs directly opposite each other to achieve an effective traffic calming effect. Tree build out pairs that are laid out in a staggered manner are not considered to be acceptable. Both concepts are schematically illustrated in Figure Minimum distance from intersection A minimum distance of 17m between a build out and intersection is required to allow an 8m long truck to turn into the collector road without having to cross over into the opposing travel lane. See Figure It is recommended that bus stops are provided directly after an intersection (see Section 6). Where a bus stop is to be provided, a minimum distance of 30m is required between a build out and the intersection. This may be reduced slightly in some circumstances. See Figure Manukau City Council District Plan, Austroads, Guide to Traffic Management Part 8: Local Area Traffic Management, 2008, pg Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

76 4. Ability for each lot to have at least one vehicle park on-street in front of it (or on side street if a corner lot) Lot and driveway configurations and tree build outs should allow at least one vehicle to park on-street in front of a lot or on an adjacent side street if a corner lot. To best achieve this, it is recommended that build outs are provided in between adjoining properties, although ultimately the best layout will depend on the width of the lots and driveway configuration, e.g. whether adjoining lot driveways are paired or separated. 5. Stormwater catchpits Some additional catchpits will need to be provided where a tree build out is constructed. The additional catchpits required, over and above what must already be provided as outlined in Manukau City Councils Engineering Quality Standards (EQS) will be determined by the number of tree build outs and the block length. 6. Location of other features of the road environment In already developed areas, the location of existing street lighting, catchpits, driveways, etc could dictate the location of build outs. However, as Stage 2 is a greenfield development it is expected that these features will be factored into the subdivision at planning stage to ensure that all aspects are satisfactorily provided for within the road. The recommended spacing of tree build outs within the middle of the block length within a range of 5m either side for block lengths less than 80m and of between 40m and 65m for blocks longer than 80m provides enough flexibility for this. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

77 Figure 4.11 Schematic illustration showing build out locations in relation to various block lengths Schematic plan view of how tree build outs are to be provided for block ends or block lengths shorter than 80m, i.e. in the middle of the block side fronting the collector road, within a range of 5m either side. Schematic plan view of how tree build outs are to be provided for blocks longer than 80m in length. Depending on the block length some blocks will have two build out pairs and others three or four. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

78 Figure 4.12 Build outs should be located directly opposite each other Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

79 Figure 4.13 Minimum distance from intersection of 17m required at all times Figure 4.14 Minimum distance from intersection with bus stop of 30m NOTE: The clearance width may be reduced to between 9m and 4m, with 4m being the absolute minimum, if 9m clearance cannot be achieved due to site specific constraints. However, the implications of this are that the rear section of the bus may overhang the footway. Designers need to make sure this will not pose a conflict with pedestrians or street furniture. See Bus Stop Infrastructure Design Guideline, May 2009, produced by ARTA, Section 5.4, page 38 for further information on mitigation measures. For the above reasons, clearance of 9m should always be applied where the footpath is paved kerb to kerb, i.e. where there is no or narrow grassed front berm, such as around neighbourhood centres, schools, etc. Whilst the bus box area required is in fact 14.5m, the bus box stencils come in 15m size only; therefore the drawing shows a 15m bus box area. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

80 4.4 Collector Roads Park Edge Several sections of the collector road network in Stage 2 are located adjacent to the green finger corridor or park area. There are three types of collector road park edge, all of which are highlighted in Figure These are: Collector roads with development on one side only; Collector roads in the form of bridges spanning across the green finger park corridors. Two of these will be new structures whilst the other involves upgrading the existing Flat Bush School Road from a rural local road into an urban collector road standard; and Collector roads with public open space (POS) on both sides. There is only one section of this type, alongside Murphy s Park. These roads need to achieve the same functional requirements of standard collector roads, however, the lack of development on one or both sides does create some different needs. These are: No need to provide for on-street parking on the side of the green finger corridor as there will be little demand for this; Where there is a demand for parking along the park edge, such as along Murphy s Park, it will be provided within the parks reserve by the Council s Park s Department (so does not need to be included in the road reserve); The traffic calming measure of tree build outs need to be provided only where on-street parking is provided as this is where the carriageway is wider; Collector roads are also key pedestrian routes. Therefore a direct and continuous footpath on both sides of the road needs to always be provided; General best practice for bridge road cross sections is to provide a wider than standard footpath width to mitigate the narrowness created by the bridge structure and lack of front berm buffer. As part of Stage 2, new road reserve and carriageway widths have been developed for each type of collector park edge road. These are illustrated in Figures 4.16, 4.17 and Figure 4.15 Locations of Collector Park Edge Roads in Stage 2 District Plan width requirements 10 Road Reserve Carriageway Collector Road Park Edge - with development on one side 19.6m 9.2m Collector Road Park Edge - Bridge 15m 7m Collector Road Park Edge with public open space on both sides 17.4m 7m 10 Manukau City Council District Plan, Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

81 Figure 4.16 Collector Road Park Edge - with development on one side Cross Section Figure 4.17 Collector Road Park Edge Bridge Cross Section Figure 4.18 Collector Road Park Edge with public open space on both sides It should be noted that angle parking is expected to be provided along the western length of Murphy s Park at this location to cater for the parking demand that the sport fields will generate. See Section 4.2. The exact location of the footpath on the Murphy s Park side of the road may therefore change. For example it could be provided within Murphy s Park, subject to it maintaining a direct and continuous alignment adjacent to the collector road. The layout of the footpath and berm on the side of the park is to be determined at the time when the park edge parking and collector road is developed. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

82 4.5 Arterial Road Murphy s Road Murphy s Road is the only arterial within the Stage 2 area and is classified as a District Arterial Road. It is a significant road through the Flat Bush community, providing a key north-south link. The road is currently a twolane rural arterial with a posted speed limit of 80km/hr, however, it will be upgraded by the Council (via its Transport Agency) from a rural to urban arterial as part of the Flat Bush development. Specific references in Manukau City Council s District Plan on Murphy s Road can be found in Chapter 8, section 8A Function District Arterial roads provide an important link between residential, business and recreational activities within the district. They also provide a connection between district and other regional activities. The land-uses along Murphy s Road are currently predominantly rural. However, this will change dramatically into an urbanised area as Flat Bush develops. Murphy s Road will therefore become an increasing important road for accessing key land use destinations. There will be a diverse range of land-uses along the corridor, although the dominant features will be residential and Murphy s Park. Other land-uses that will occur directly on or within the corridor area will include a neighbourhood centre, schools, six major sports fields in Murphy s Park, several green finger park edges, the Flat Bush Community Hall and the heritage Baverstock Cottage and possibly some medium-high density residential developments. The road environment should therefore be designed to support the vitality and amenity of these adjoining land uses, particularly around key focus points of activity. The main transport function of arterials is to provide for the movement of people and goods between major origins and destinations within the City. Arterials will move heavy volumes of traffic and provide connections between the motorways, the primary and secondary road network. Whilst Murphy s Road does not form part of the Auckland Regional Freight Route, all arterials are expected to cater for some freight traffic and must be designed accordingly. A primary function of arterials is to provide for passenger transport. Although the current indicative bus route plan does not show a bus route travelling along Murphy s Road, all arterials are expected to accommodate bus movements. Further, the current bus route status for Murphy s Road may change in the future in response to changing land-uses. Direct vehicle access to properties is a secondary function of arterials and is prohibited or restricted in some circumstances in order to minimise conflict with the primary through traffic function. Limiting direct vehicle access reduces the number of vehicle crossing points which also presents opportunities to enhance pedestrian, cyclist and street amenity. Murphy s Road is designated as Regional Cycle Route and must therefore provide high quality cycle facilities. It will also become a very important pedestrian link as it traverses through the middle of the Flat Bush community. Several pedestrian and cyclists paths link to and cross Murphy s Road. The future land-use and transport design of the road will therefore need to pay close attention to the cyclist and pedestrian environment. Connectivity along as well as across the road is important Form District Arterial s can be two or four lanes. Recent transport studies indicate that a four lane configuration is required for Murphy s Road due its location within the arterial network and to cater for forecast traffic flows. A four lane road could become a barrier if not designed well. It is therefore important that the future land-use development, together with the upgrade of the road, balances the corridor s transport, land-use and community functions to ensure the corridor becomes an integrating element between the two communities in Flat Bush, rather than a barrier. To achieve the functional objectives for Murphy s Road, side road and direct property access should be prohibited or severely limited. This will better provide for through traffic, create a better pedestrian and cyclist environment and enhance street amenity by allowing more on-street parking and tree build outs. It also removes the need for a painted central flush median. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

83 Local side road access along Murphy s Road should ideally be restricted to left in and left out arrangements, except for at one location See Figure This is feasible along Murphy s Road as the grid network provides many alternative routes and easy access to the number of regularly spaced all-movement signalised intersections along the corridor. Adjoining properties can be provided with access through various alternative means, some of which are outlined in Figure 4.19 and 20. To cater for a four lane configuration and cycle facilities the road reserve and carriageway width is as follows: The purpose of this document is provide guidance as to the final outcomes sought for Murphy s Road when it is upgraded, however, the final road configuration is to be determined as part of the road up-grade project. The specific outcomes sought for Murphy s Road and how these are to be achieved are outlined in Table 4.4. Some transport outcomes sought can only be achieved if the adjoining land-uses are also appropriately designed; these are highlighted in blue font. District Plan width requirements 11 Road Reserve Carriageway District Arterial Murphy s Road (with cycle lanes) 31m 16m Whilst the minimum carriageway width is stated as 16m, the actual width will most likely vary along the road depending on what is required for different sections of the corridor. This should be determined as part of the road upgrade project. The 31m road reserve allows for a range of cross-sections. It should be noted that localised widening may often occur at intersections. Figures 4.21 to 4.24 provide some indicative cross sections for Murphy s Road. These have been developed based on there being two main types of land-uses along the corridor: sections that will be urbanised and have development on both sides of the road and sections dominated by park on either side. There are also three themes to the indicative cross sections: Sections that will require on-street parking and those that will not. The latter includes Murphy s Park where it is expected there will be no or little demand for on-street parking along the park edge; Whether a landscaped median is provided or not; and Whether the cycle facility is provided on-road or off-road to a quality that even commuter cyclist would be comfortable to use. Figure 4.25 outlines the proposed strategy for Murphy s Road, indicating proposed intersection treatments, key pedestrian / cyclists only crossing points and land-uses. 11 Manukau City Council District Plan, Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

84 Figure 4.19 Acceptable or Desirable Adjoining Property Access and Side Road Access Management Measures Figure 4.20 Not Acceptable or Less Desirable Adjoining Property Access Management Options Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

85 Table 4.4 Outcomes sought for Murphy s Road Outcomes sought: 1 Four lanes for through traffic at all times, in addition to provision of on-street parking where required. 2 Through movement is prioritised along the corridor, whilst maintaining access to adjoining land-uses, although this is not expected to be directly off Murphy s Road. 3 A road that acts as a connector between communities on either side of Murphy s Road. Achieve through: Road reserve and carriageway width provisions allows for this. Local side road access ideally limited to left in and left out only. Full access provided at controlled intersections. Side road movements to take advantage of local grid network connectivity. No or very limited direct property access from Murphy s Road. See Figure 4.19 and 4.20 for a range of acceptable and non-acceptable adjoining property access measures. Carriageway width limited as much as possible by: - Limiting local side road access and having no or limited direct property access. Both measures reduce the need for a flush median, thus reducing carriageway width; - Appearance of carriageway width mitigated through appropriate centre median treatment. A centre median may or may not be provided, depending on the requirements of the particular section of Murphy s Road. If a median is to be provided it should be landscaped to a high quality, i.e. it should have quality and reasonably sized trees planted in it and / or attractive ground level planting. Plain grass and / or concrete are not considered to be an acceptable solution. Berm and footpath area should be sufficiently wide and attractively landscaped to create a pleasant road-side environment and an attractive public space. Consider multi-level buildings favourable as road width can be balanced out by having higher buildings alongside it. Ensure there is a mix of land-uses along the corridor and that there are key destinations on both sides of the road. 4 Freight and bus movements catered for. Carriageway width and intersection widths allow for the movement of these vehicles. Berm and footpath width allows for the provision of bus stop infrastructure, such as bus stop signs and shelters. 5 Ability to park on-street where there is a demand for it and to act as a traffic calming measure. Road reserve allows for the provision of on-street parking where there is a likely demand for it, which will be determined by adjoining land-uses. 6 Appropriate speed environment for vehicles. Having a posted speed limit of 60km/hr along the entire route in line with Manukau City Council s current policy for arterials. Signalised intersections placed at regular intervals along the corridor, so, in reality drivers will be driving slower than 60 km/hr due to the various intersections and queues. Road treatment designed to manage vehicle speeds, e.g. through provision of on-street parking, tree build-outs and potential landscaped median. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

86 Table 4.4 Continued Outcomes sought for Murphy s Road Outcomes sought for Murphy s Road 7 An environment that encourages cyclists of both commuter / confident and recreational / less confident abilities (including children) to safely and comfortably use Murphy s Road as a cycle route. An environment that encourages pedestrian activity on the street 8 Street edge activity and passive surveillance - People should feel comfortable on Murphy s Road and not just want to travel through quickly. Recognise it is a place of movement but also want people to stop and linger. - Want people to feel safe and enjoy walking down the road. 9 A quality street environment. It is important for Murphy s Road to have its own strong sense of identify / character. 10 Emergency and service vehicles are able to use road and access adjoining properties Achieve through: High quality and clearly delineated cycle facilities provided to cater for both confident / commuter cyclists and recreational or less confident cyclists. Preferred layout to be determined at project scheme stage, however, some indicative cross sections are provided in Figure Wider footpaths. Width should be wider around key land use activities such as neighbourhood centres. Generous berm width of 2.5m, with the exception at neighbourhood centres where paving likely to be kerb-tokerb, creates a buffer between road and pedestrian zone and allows for street trees. No or limited direct property access off Murphy s Road creates a better environment for cyclists and pedestrians due to: - removal or reduced number of vehicle crossing points to have to cross, so less conflict points with moving vehicles increasing pedestrian and cyclists amenity and safety; - provides more opportunity for on-street parking provision and associated tree build outs to create a slower speed environment and higher amenity road edge; - no or less driveways also present an opportunity to provide a high quality off-road cycle facility. Signalised intersections combined with several pedestrian / cyclist only crossings at regular intervals along the corridor provide for safe pedestrian crossing opportunities. On-street parking, where it occurs, will provide some street front activity, which creates a safer environment for pedestrians / cyclists. Ensure there is a mix of land-uses along the corridor to create an environment that will make walking, cycling or travelling along the route interesting and pleasant. Ensure adjoining land uses face the road. Conversely, the road environment needs to be designed as such that land-uses want to face it. Murphy s Road alignment should be kept as straight as possible to maintain long vistas created by the topography. Having street edge activities with quality urban spaces along it. Generous street tree provision along corridor in front berm area or in tree builds. On-street parking should be interspersed with tree build outs. Carriageway width and intersection widths allow for the movement of these vehicles. Adjoining properties should always be able to be accessed by these vehicles. 11 Ability to provide for services (minimum 3.2m required). Road reserve width contains sufficient footpath and back berm width to provide for this. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

87 Figure 4.21 Indicative cross sections of Murphy s Road with on-road cycle lane and median A Urban segments with need for on-street parking Figure 4.22 Indicative cross sections of Murphy s Road with on-road cycle lane and no median A Urban segments with need for on-street parking B - Urban segments with no need for on-street parking and Murphy s Park Segment B - Urban segments with no need for on-street parking and Murphy s Park Segment Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

88 Figure 4.23 Indicative cross sections of Murphy s Road with high quality off-road cycle path and median A Urban segments with need for on-street parking Figure 4.24 Indicative cross sections of Murphy s Road with high quality off-road cycle path and no median A Urban segments with need for on-street parking B - Urban segments with no need for on-street parking and Murphy s Park Segment B - Urban segments with no need for on-street parking and Murphy s Park Segment Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

89 Figure 4.25 Proposed Strategy for Murphy s Road Corridor Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

90 4.6 Roads with Sensitive or Special Land Uses As the Stage 2 (and future Stage 3) area develops, there may be occasions where departures from the standard road layouts may be required in locations where sensitive or special land-uses occur and where specific treatments more appropriate to the land-uses should be applied. Examples of where this may apply are around higher pedestrian activity generators, such as neighbourhood centres or schools, although there may be other instances where this is relevant. The specific type of requirements that are likely to be required for neighbourhood centres and schools is outlined below Neighbourhood Centres The Flat Bush structure plan identifies five locations for neighbourhood centres for the Flat Bush area. One neighbourhood centre is located in Stage 2 and is zoned on the south east and north east corners of Murphy s and Flat Bush School Road. This centre is approximately 2.5ha in size. Neighbourhood centres aim to act as local community focal points by providing for a diverse range of retail, commercial, service and residential activities and employment such as local shops, restaurants/cafes, a small supermarket, day care, medical, community services and/or high density residential. The main requirement is that the activity promotes a compact pedestrian friendly neighbourhood centre. For a neighbourhood centre to be a successful and vibrant community focal point it will rely on its local catchment area as well as some passing traffic for trade and employees. The transport outcome sought for neighbourhood centres is that they are readily accessible by walking, cycling or by bus through the provision of excellent pedestrian, cycling, bus and road connections to neighbouring residential areas. They must also be convenient for passing vehicles to access and park near the centre. Due to the importance of Neighbourhood Centres and in recognition that each site is likely to present site-specific opportunities and issues, the District Plan requires their development to be subject to a Comprehensive Development Plan. The development of this plan will be led by the Council in partnership with the land owners. Specific references in Manukau City Council s District Plan on the Comprehensive Development Plan can be found in sections , , , and The site-specific transport issues, opportunities, requirements and solutions can therefore be determined as part of the Comprehensive Development Plan. However, to help guide the development of the plan Table 4.5 outlines the transport outcomes sought for neighbourhood centres Schools As with neighbourhood centres, site-specific transport aspects of a proposed new school site can be determined at the development s planning stage. However, to help guide development some of the transport outcomes sought for schools is outlined below: A path of at least 3m wide to be provided near schools to cater for school children and their parents converging at the school and to allow for shared pedestrian and cyclists use on the path. Vehicle entrances should not be the same point of entry as the main pedestrian and cycle entranceway for safety and amenity purposes. This could be achieved either by separate locations or separate gateway treatments at the same location. Consideration of where formal pedestrian crossing point(s) around the school need to be provided should be undertaken at planning stage. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

91 Table 4.5 Transport outcomes sought for Neighbourhood Centres Outcomes sought: 1 A clear indication to drivers that they have entered a neighbourhood centre area to influence their driving behaviour and manage traffic speeds. 2 An active pedestrian and frontage zone that not only allows people to travel through but also encourages them to linger and spend time in the area. Achieve through: Through use of various intersection treatments, such as different surface treatments at intersections or at local side road entrances, see Section 5 for examples. Consider use of different surface treatment on footpaths. Wider footpath area. Provision of a quality street environment through street edge landscaping. 3 A quality street environment Provision of street trees or other form of landscaping along street edge. The row of on-street parking should be broken up intermittently by tree build outs. Consider inclusion of public art within the public realm. 4 Easy, safe and attractive to access by walking Wider footpaths. The standard grassed front and back berm layout would not need to be applied, rather this space could be used to provide kerb-to-kerb paving and/or urbanised form of landscaping. Good connections to/from the centre and the wider road and green finger off-road walking network. Appropriate crossing facilities to be provided to allow safe and convenient access to the centre by pedestrians. 5 Easy, safe and attractive to access by bike Good connections to/from the centre and the wider road and green finger off-road cycling network Appropriate crossing facilities to be provided to allow safe and convenient access to the centre by cyclists. Appropriate cycle parking to be provided at key locations around neighbourhood centre (see Section 9). 6 Easy, safe and attractive to access by bus Bus stops serving the neighbourhood centre located conveniently to the centre. Appropriate crossing facilities to allow safe and convenient access to the centre from the bus stops. 7 Convenient to access by passing vehicles Adequate parking should be provided at and around the neighbourhood centres. Some on-street parking provision is considered to be essential. These should be at least 2.5m in width. See Figure 4.26 and 4.27 for possible on-street parking layouts. 8 Convenient to access by service vehicles Appropriate number of loading bays provided at appropriate locations on-street. Where appropriate, a rear service lane should be provided for larger deliveries. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

92 Figure 4.26 Example 1 of acceptable on-street parking layouts for neighbourhood centres Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

93 Figure 4.27 Example 2 of acceptable on-street parking layouts for neighbourhood centres Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

94 4.7 Cul-de-sacs The road network laid out in the Structure Plan and masterplan no longer allows for cul-de-sacs in Flat Bush unless there is a strong reason for providing them. An area where it is expected that some cul-de-sacs will need to be provided is in the south eastern parts of Stage 2 due to the areas steep topography and adjoining land ownership not permitting a local road connection. Cul-de-sacs in Flat Bush will need to have a carriageway width of 6m and have footpaths on both sides of road 12. Figure 4.28 provides a cross section for a cul-de-sac road. Figure 4.28 Cul-de-Sac Cross Section 12 Manukau City Council District Plan, Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

95 5. Intersection treatments Intersections must be designed in a manner that caters for various road users from vehicles to cyclists and pedestrians, and need to be designed in a manner that is sensitive to its adjoining land uses. In order to provide a street environment that is compatible with its adjoining land-uses it is critical that vehicle speeds be kept within the appropriate range 13. So for within Flat Bush, the vehicle speed target for local roads is 40kph, collector roads 50kph and arterials 50 to 60kph maximum. Long straight streets can lead to higher vehicle speeds if not managed with appropriate road and intersection treatments 14. With the introduction of the new grid network in Stage 2 it is therefore particularly important to apply appropriate intersection treatments to manage vehicle speeds. Specific references in Manukau City Council s District Plan on intersection treatments can be found in sections , and Intersection treatments to be applied in Flat Bush Table 5.1 lists the range of intersection treatments to be applied to Flat Bush s road network. The intersection treatments listed in Table 5.1 are illustrated in Figure 5.3. Figure 5.2 outlines the intersection treatments expected for site-specific locations in the Stage 2 area. Note that the location of the two full roundabouts on the local road network is indicative as it would be dependent on the final local road network layout when developed. However, the figure indicates the intention that these should be provided within this locality. The reason for these locations is to break-up the long stretch of straight local road section at these two points. 5.2 Intersection treatments to be avoided The following intersection treatments should not be provided as they create unnecessarily wide carriageways and are difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to negotiate: Slip or decelerating lanes from an arterial into a collector or local road. See Figure 5.3; and Free left slip lanes at give-way priority and signalised intersections. In exceptional cases these may be justified. If this is the case, a formal pedestrian crossing facility, either a zebra or signals, should be provided on the free left slip lanes to aid pedestrian movements. See Figure Pedestrian and cyclists considerations at intersections The following design aspects should be applied at all intersections to aid pedestrian movements: Locate pedestrian pram crossings (kerb ramps) on desire lanes, i.e. as direct and straight as much as possible; and Use of Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs) at all arterial and collector road intersections. Where cycle lanes are provided along a collector or arterial road, the following design aspects should be applied at the intersections: Cycle lanes must be continued at and through the intersection so avoid termination of cycle lanes on the approaches to intersections, except at single lane, small roundabouts see relevant Austroads Guide; Provide cycle advance boxes and their lead-in lanes at all signalised intersections WesEdwards Consulting, Local Streets for Liveable Neighbourhoods (August 2005), pg 8 Department for Transport UK, Manual for Streets (2007), pg 46. When developing or assessing intersection plans proposed for Flat Bush, the following documents should be referred to for more detailed guidelines: Pedestrian Planning and Design Guide, December 2007; Cycle Network and Route Planning Guide, 2004; The relevant Austroads Guides (see back of this guide); and Engineering Quality Standards (EQS), Manukau City Council. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

96 Table 5.1 Various forms of intersection treatments to be applied within the Flat Bush area From: To: Local Collector Murphy s Road District Arterial Local The main form of treatment should be: Not providing continuous priority by alternating give-way priorities along the route. These should be considered on long sections, i.e. three or more blocks. Apply 7m corner radius, unless a full roundabout is to be provided, in which case the appropriate geometry should be applied. Full roundabout at site specific locations (see Figure 5.1) to break up significantly long local road stretches. Secondary or site-specific treatment can include: Mini roundabout Use of different surface treatment at intersection Use of raised intersections at some locations Collector roads will generally have priority over local roads, except where there is a need to break up significantly long stretches of collector road in which case a full roundabout should be provided. Indicative locations where these should be provided in Stage 2 are outlined in Figure 5.1. Local Road to be controlled by stop or give-way rule. Apply 7m corner radius, unless a full roundabout is to be provided, in which case the appropriate geometry should be applied. Secondary or site-specific treatment can include: Use of different surface treatment at local road entrance to inform drivers they are entering a lower order street. Use of raised platforms on local road entrance in areas with high pedestrian flows, e.g. around neighbourhood centres. Left-in and left out only access to/from local road; A signalised intersection where the Special Local Road Park Edge (Murphy s Park and School) intersects with Murphy s Road as it is expected this road will experience higher than normal traffic volumes for a local road due to the location of the playing fields on Murphy s Park and school on this road. See Figure 5.1 for location. Secondary or site-specific treatment can include: Use of different surface treatment at local road entrance to inform drivers they are entering a lower order street. Collector See Local to Collector If a four-armed intersection: There is only one intersection of this type in Stage 2 and it should be a signalised due to its location near a school. See Figure 5.1. If a T-intersection: Main collector has priority over side collector road. Apply give-way or stop treatment to side collector road. If a four-armed intersection: Signalised intersection If a T-intersection: Arterial Road always has priority over collector road. Apply give-way or stop treatment to collector road. Arterial See Local to Arterial See Collector to Arterial Signalised intersection Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

97 Figure 5.1 Intersection treatments to be applied to Flat Bush Stage 2 Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

98 Figure 5.2 Illustrative examples of intersection treatments to be applied in Flat Bush as outlined in Table Not providing continuous priority by alternating give-way and stop treatments along the route This type of treatment stops drivers from being able to drive continuously along a long straight road without stopping or slowing down. To be used as main form of intersection treatment on local to local roads. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

99 2 Tighter intersection corner radius of 7m The longer the radius of a curve, the faster a vehicle can move around that curve. Reducing the local to local road and local to collector road corner radius from the previous 10m to 7m will: Inhibit the speed of turning vehicles Give pedestrians a better chance to see and be seen by approaching vehicles; and Provides a shorter crossing distance for pedestrians to the other side of the road. To be used as main form of intersection treatment on local to local roads; and local to collector roads. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

100 3a Full (raised) roundabouts Roundabouts and mini-roundabouts are one of the most effective traffic calming measures and present greatest safety benefits: they are very effective at lowering vehicle speeds, decrease injury crashes and reduce noise and pollution from vehicles stop / starting. However, care must be taken in their design to ensure they do not present a barrier or safety issue for pedestrian or cyclists. 3b Mini-roundabouts Either flush (painted) OR mountable (traversable) types. Full Roundabouts: Use of pedestrian refuge islands and tight turning circle will aid pedestrian crossing and cyclists movements through roundabout intersection. They provide an opportunity to provide attractive landscaping or other features, such as artwork, to enhance or add local identity to the neighbourhood. Can be used on local to local, local to collector and collector to collector road intersections. Avoid roundabouts that are overdesigned to cater for ease of vehicle movements want tight deflection to force vehicles to slow down as they manoeuvre around the roundabout. Avoid overuse of road signs as they clutter the intersection. Mini-roundabouts: Mini-roundabouts offer a low-speed, low-noise intersection option that requires little ongoing maintenance. A mountable (traversable) island is where larger vehicles, such as trucks, must travel over the central island area. This form would be more effective at slowing vehicle speeds than a painted flush miniroundabout. Use of vehicle splitter islands (as shown in photo) may or may not be used. Can be used on local to local roads, i.e. residential environment only, on an intermittent basis, so mini roundabouts should not be used on a regular or frequent basis. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

101 4a 4b Use of different surface treatment at entrances to a lower order road Use of different surface treatment across full intersection area Different surface textures can be used to highlight pedestrian routes and create a gateway effect to inform drivers they are entering a lower order street. At lower order street entrances: Can be used on local to at the local road entrance intersecting with a collector or arterial road. Across whole intersection area Can be highly attractive and create a gateway effect to a neighbourhood. Can be used on local to local, collector to collector roads. To ensure impact is most effective best to use treatment sparingly / at key locations only and to focus it either at: gateway zones to distinct neighbourhoods and /or in areas with high pedestrian activity. Intersections around Neighbourhood Centres could benefit from this type of treatment as it could contribute towards enhancing the local area amenity. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

102 5a 5b Use of different surface treatment and raised area at entrances to a lower order road Use of different surface treatment and raised area across full intersection area. Raised platforms or intersections provide an effective vertical traffic calming effect at road entrances or intersections. They slow traffic in three ways: by creating an attractive, distinct shape; creating a vertical deflection forcing a low speed approach; and by highlighting the area as a pedestrian space. At lower order street entrances: May be used on local road entrances intersecting with collector roads. Most appropriate use will be in areas with higher pedestrian flows, e.g. around neighbourhood centres or medium-high density developments. Should not be used on local road entrances intersecting with arterials, unless the vehicle speed on the arterial road is posted at or less than 50kph. Across whole intersection area May be used as a gateway to a neighbourhood. Can be used on local to local road intersections. Should not be used on local to collector, collector to collector or arterial intersections. 6 Left in and left out only arrangement This treatment: Reduces the need for a flush median to be provided on Murphy s Road, thus reducing carriageway width. Provides an opportunity to create a better environment for pedestrians and cyclists on Murphy s Road as it removes the number of potential vehicle conflict points when crossing the side road. A central median island in the form of a pedestrian refuge island should be incorporated to prevent non-complying traffic movements and aid pedestrian crossing movements. They also provide an opportunity to enhance the appearance of the street when landscaped. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

103 Figure 5.3 Example of what to avoid in arterial to collector road intersections and preferred layout Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

104 Figure 5.4 Example of what to avoid at full signalised intersections and preferred layout Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

105 6. Bus Network A key part of the Flat Bush vision is to enable the community to use passenger transport for many of their journeys thereby reducing dependency on car use. As bus is the only practical mode for passenger transport in the area, providing an attractive bus route network and supporting infrastructure such as bus stops is extremely important in Flat Bush. Specific references in Manukau City Council s District Plan on intersection treatments can be found in sections , and Bus Route Network All arterial and collector roads are designated bus routes and the District Plan requires these roads to be constructed to cater for bus movements. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) and the Council have produced an indicative future bus network route for the Flat Bush area. This is shown in Figure 6.1. It should be noted that the indicated bus routes may change in response to changes in land-use development or demand. 6.2 Bus Stops Getting the design and location of bus stops right is important as they are where people access the bus network from. For buses to offer a real alternative to the private car as a means of moving around, they must be within a comfortable walking distance from people s origins and destinations. The general acceptable standard practice for bus stop spacing within an urban area is a stop every 400 metres along a bus route (three per kilometre). This equates to approximately a five-minute walking distance, which is a distance most people find acceptable. However, the spacing standard should not be applied too prescriptively as there are many other factors that influence the appropriate spacing of bus stops, such as topography, location of key land uses, etc. In Stage 1, it was found that bus stops were often being considered after subdivision plans and lot layouts had been finalised. This resulted in bus stops having to be placed at whichever location was available rather than where they were actually required. This is because it is often difficult to implement a new bus stop once development has already taken place due to adjoining landowner objections or the layout of neighbouring driveways prohibiting the ability to fit a bus stop in between them. It is therefore important to factor in bus stop locations when drawing up a subdivision or lot layout proposal so that bus stops can be accommodated right from the start. It is for this reason that the District Plan now requires bus stops to be provided for at time of development in accordance with an indicative bus stop location map. Specific references in Manukau City Council s District Plan on requirement to provide for bus stops and indicative location map can be found in sections and The bus stop location map is shown in Figure 6.2. The map included in the District Plan refers to the Stage 2 area only. Figure 6.2 provides indicative bus stop locations for those remaining areas of Stage 1 still to be developed, Stage 2 as per the District Plan, as well as for the indicative Stage 3 area. The intention is for this to help inform the location of bus stops in these other areas. The map only provides an indicative location to inform the developer in advance of the bus stop requirement for that area. The final location and layout of proposed new bus stops should be determined through discussion with the Council s appropriate Transport Team when the subdivision plans for an area are being initiated. In addition to location, it is important that bus stops are designed well so that they meet the requirements of all users. A summary of some best practice bus stop design principles is outlined in Table 6.1. However, the following document should be referred to for further, more detailed guidelines on bus stop locations and other design considerations: Auckland Regional Bus Stop Infrastructure Design Guidelines, produced by Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA), May Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

106 Figure 6.1 Proposed bus route network for Flat Bush (as at 2010) Table 6.1 Some key outcomes sought with bus stop location and design Outcomes sought: 1 There is easy access between bus stops and shops, schools, work places, reserves and other amenities for the majority of the Flat Bush community 2 Bus stops are located and designed to provide a safe and efficient bus network around Flat Bush 3 Optimised access to bus stops through grid road layout Achieve through: Bus stops being located: As close as possible to all major trip generators and key community facilities. In clearly visible locations, near existing activity centres and in well lit areas, e.g. near street lighting or other existing sources of illumination Close to intersections and pedestrian crossing facilities Note: Bus stops should be located near to and on the departure side of pedestrian crossings and intersections, but must not be on, or closer than 6 metres to a pedestrian crossing / intersection. Near to off-road path network, where possible. Ensure there is good access between off-road paths and bus stop. Refer to Auckland Regional Bus Stop Infrastructure Design Guidelines, produced by Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA), May 2009 for a more detailed outline of key bus stop location and design outcomes sought and how to achieve them. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

107 Figure 6.2 Indicative bus stop locations in Flat Bush and key ones loc (Note: exact location of bus stops to be confirmed at time of development / subdivision) Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

108 7. Walking and Cycling Network Figure 7.1 Key locations where the off-road walking and cycling network interfaces with the road network Flat Bush has been developed with a unique focus on environmental sustainability. A key feature of this has been the retention of the natural waterways and gullies creating a 45km green finger or park network throughout Flat Bush. The green finger network, together with Barry Curtis Park and Murphy s Bush Park, forms the basis for Flat Bush s extensive off-road cycling and walking path network. Once fully developed, this large network of shared paths will cover more than 34km of Flat Bush. The off-road network is usually implemented at the same time as when development occurs by the Council s Park Department. The off-road network complements the pedestrian and cycling access provided by the road network. Once fully implemented, they will together provide an extensive and well-connected pedestrian and cycling network that will make Flat Bush a highly attractive environment for people to walk and cycle around. It is therefore important to ensure there is good interface between the off-road path network and the road network where they meet. Figure 7.1 indicates the locations where this occurs. There may be other locations created as the off-road path network plan is revised or amended over time. Having good interface is defined as it being easy and safe for pedestrians and cyclists to travel between the road network and the off-road network and vice versa. This can be achieved by providing some form of informal or formal crossing facility for pedestrians and cyclists where the off-road walking and cycling network intersects or connects with the road network. These should be located at pedestrian / cyclist desire lines. Examples of crossing facilities and where they may be used on the road network is outlined in Table 7.1. The facilities can be provided as standalone or combined measures, although pram crossings should be provided in all cases. Schematic figures showing a range of kerb extension facilities is provided in Figure 7.2. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

109 Table 7.1 Types of crossing facilities and where they may be used Figure 7.2 Illustrative examples of kerb extension types Where an off-road pedestrian and cycle path crosses a: The type of treatment likely to be most appropriate low to medium pedestrian / cyclists flows higher pedestrian / cyclists flows Local or Local Park Edge Road Pram crossing (kerb ramp) Use of kerb extensions and/or surface treatment could be considered if the crossing was a major crossing point within the network. Kerb extension with surface treatment only Collector Road Pram crossing Pedestrian refuge islands Kerb extensions Arterial Road Pram crossing Pedestrian refuge islands Kerb extensions Surface treatment Signalised pedestrian and cyclists crossing facility either stand alone or as part of a signalised intersection. Zebra crossing Signalised pedestrian and cyclists crossing facility either stand alone or as part of a signalised intersection. Kerb extension with a raised and treated surface The collector and arterial road network clearly has the most range in terms of what may be the most appropriate form of crossing provision. The most appropriate form of crossing provision should therefore be determined on a case-by-case basis at the time when the proposed new road is to be developed, taking into consideration the wider pedestrian and cycling network, adjoining land-uses, likely origins and destinations, number of lanes, volume of vehicles, etc. Reference should also be made to the following documents: Pedestrian Planning and Design Guide (PPDG), Land Transport New Zealand, December 2007; and Engineering Quality Standards (EQS), Manukau City Council. Kerb extension as a zebra crossing. This could be combined with a raised surface. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

110 8. Travel Plans The district plan now requires all activities in Flat Bush with 40 or more employees on the premises at any one time and any education facility with a roll greater than 50 to develop a Travel Plan. Specific references in Manukau City Council s District Plan on travel plans can be found in sections , , and What is a Travel Plan? A Travel Plan aims to enable schools, workplaces and communities to better understand current travel choices and to find ways to make sustainable transport choices, such as walking, cycling, taking passenger transport or car pooling, more attractive 15. It does this by identifying and providing a package of measures that promote sustainable travel within an organisation with an emphasis on reducing reliance on single occupancy car travel. Travel Plans must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each site / premise. They should take into account factors such as the size and location of the organisation, building or individual premise; the number of staff employed; the number of visitors; and the number of deliveries or contractors servicing the individual premise 16. The types of measures delivered through a travel plan are usually a combination of engineering, education, enforcement and encouragement and can include: new or improved on-site cycle facilities, a travel plan intranet site, new bus services, discounted ticketing arrangements, communication material and new car park management systems. These measures tend to be supported by a management system of policies, procedures and documents which support the travel plan through its ongoing development, implementation and monitoring. 8.2 Outcomes sought It is recommended that developers / organisations initiate early discussion with the Council and relevant Transport Department when about to develop a Travel Plan. Developers / organisations should also make use of the travel plan programme TravelWise, which is operated by the Auckland Council though it s Transport Agency, and provides a process for developing a Travel Plan. There are a range of travel plan types; however, the most common ones are School Travel Plans and Workplace Travel Plans School Travel Plans A school travel plan works with children, parents, teachers and the whole school community to give school staff and children the option of a safe, healthy and sustainable journey to school. Two new schools will be developed in Flat Bush in Stage 2 and 3 and a travel plan is to be developed as part of the school s planning process Workplace Travel Plans Trips to work make up just over half of morning peak trips and are the most significant contributors to congestion. The 2001 Census shows that most cars travelling to work have only a single occupant, and this creates traffic and parking problems for the employer as well as for workers and visitors. Flat Bush will have several employment centres, mainly centred in the Flat Bush town centre, although there will be some smaller to medium sized ones at neighbourhood centres. For those activities that meet the threshold, a travel plan is to be developed as part of the workplace s planning process The Travel Plan Resource Pack for Employers, Department for Transport (UK), Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

111 9. Bicycle Parking Flat Bush will have an extensive off-road and on-road cycling network. It is important to support this network with facilities that allow people to park their bicycles at the start or end of their trip. There are various measures within the District Plan that requires key activities in Flat Bush to provide cycle parking: Flat Bush Town Centre cycle parking provision to be identified via the town centre masterplan process; Employment Centres - cycle parking provision to be identified via their Travel Plans; Schools - cycle parking provision to be identified via their Travel Plans Neighbourhood Centres - cycle parking provision to be identified in their Comprehensive Development Plan (as outlined in Section 4.61). There are other activities not listed above which would also need cycle parking, e.g. a single corner shop, high density dwellings or apartment building. In these cases, the appropriate level of cycle parking required is to be identified during the Resource Consent process. The Park s Department should also provide cycle parking at key public open space or amenity locations such as at park edges and playgrounds. The following document should be referred to for further, more detailed guidelines on cycle parking provision ratios and design considerations: Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA) Guidelines and Supplementary Document E Guidance Note for Cycle Parking, October 2007, ARTA. 17 A summary of the documents key points is provided in Table 9.1 for ease of reference. 17 Picture source: Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA) Guidelines and Supplementary Document E Guidance Note for Cycle Parking, October 2007, ARTA, pg E22. Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October

112 Table Summary of bicycle parking provision types and criteria of most relevance for Flat Bush 18 Type of Bicycle Parking Locations General Requirements 1 Customer / Visitor Short-Term This level of bicycle parking should be provided outside destinations where visitors are only expected to stay for five to 30 minutes. This level of bicycle parking should be installed within 20 metres of the main pedestrian entrance to a building/shop. 2 Customer / Visitor Short Medium-Term This level of bicycle parking should be provided outside destinations where customers/ visitors are expected to stay for 30 minutes to three hours. This level of bicycle parking should be installed within 100m of the destination, or so that it is closer than the nearest carpark (excluding disabled carparks). 4 Private Long-Term This level of bicycle parking should be provided by private companies or organisations for use by employees who work / study on the site. Bicycle parking should be high security and limited access, so that employees or students can confidently leave bicycle for long durations. Most private developments will need to provide both Type 4 for staff / students and Type 1 for visitors. Local shopping centres Neighbourhood stores, e.g. dairies or take away stores Outside libraries or video hire stores Playgrounds and beaches At key points along popular cycle routes (e.g. public toilets, cafés, playgrounds, picnic table spots) Outside commercial premises, office buildings, civil buildings etc (to provide for bicycle courier / short-term visitor parking). Town centres, supermarkets, or shopping malls Places of assembly Leisure centres / swimming pools. Schools Office buildings Shopping malls (staff carparking) Industrial / commercial workplaces All other workplaces. Approved bicycle stands Located in such a manner as not to block the footpath Good passive surveillance and lighting Clear signage Undercover, if there is an existing shelter available. Approved bicycle stands Clear signage Good passive surveillance and lighting Undercover. High-security storage areas with limited access Clear instructions on how to gain access to the storage area Undercover Good lighting Located so that personal security is not compromised Ability to lock bicycle. 18 The document group s bicycle parking provision into five types, three of which are considered to be of most relevance to Flat Bush. Source: Integrated Transport Assessment (ITA) Guidelines and Supplementary Document E Guidance Note for Cycle Parking, October 2007, ARTA, pg E-22. Picnic table and bike stand photo source: Manukau City Council Flat Bush Transport Design Guideline October