Ngauranga to Petone: Yes please
Right now it’s impossible to get between Hutt and Wellington cities as a free-range human without having a pretty yuk time. Good news: the Ngauranga to Petone shared path is on the table! Say Yes Please by 21st June
This is a guest post thanks to the trustees of Te Aranui o Pōneke The Great Harbour Way. Editor’s additions in [brackets]
What is the Great Harbour Way Te Aranui o Pōneke?
GHW is Wellington’s proposed iconic harbour pathway – a continuous, signposted, 72km trail for walkers, cyclists, runners and others, touching the water around the entire perimeter of Te Whanganui a Tara/Wellington Harbour, from Pencarrow in the east to Red Rocks in the west.
Few cities in the world can boast such open public access to their harbours. This trail will be one of Wellington’s greatest assets for recreation, commuting and tourism.
It will include the beautiful new Petone-Ngauranga link designed by NZTA and currently out for public consultation.
We urge you to support this important project.
Who will enjoy it? Both locals and tourists:
- Anyone who can walk. And walking groups
- Anyone who can cycle. And cycling groups
- Anyone using any small mobility – e-scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, wheelchairs, pushchairs, Segways, mobility scooters
- Sporting competitions and events e.g. Ciclovía, marathons, cycle races, triathlons, fun runs, fun walks
What does it offer?
- Access for everyone to Wellington’s stunning and varied waterfront.
- A safe, much-needed commuter link between Petone, the Hutt Valley and Wellington, helping ease traffic congestion.
- A “destination” coastal path enhancing tourism and Wellington region’s economy.
- A link to regional and national networks, including Te Araroa (Aotearoa New Zealand-wide walking trail) and the Remutaka Cycle Trail (Ngā Haerenga / New Zealand Cycle Trail).
- Interesting and educational interpretive signs at geographic and historical places of interest, illustrating both Māori and Pākehā history and heritage.
- Places to admire significant works of art close-up
- Climate change mitigation, cutting carbon emissions and providing resilience.
- Improved public health through enhanced opportunities for healthy outdoor family activities.
Why is the Petone-Ngauranga link so important?
This section of State Highway 2 is currently barely usable and largely unsafe.
Creation of a wide, landscaped, weather-protected pathway between the sea and the rail line will be a vital step towards creating the Great Harbour Way Te Aranui o Pōneke, while giving the railway and road greatly improved resilience.
Who supports the GHW?
GHW is a project advocated for by a non-governmental trust and supported by the region’s councils and central government. The Great Harbour Way Trustees are volunteers who act as stewards for the project.
[Editor’s note: Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace is randomly trying to get an extra lane for cars stuck on, to “ease congestion”. This is bonkers, as it’ll only encourage more people to join current congestion all converging on the same place (Wellington city). So when submitting you could pop in a line about “no to a third lane” if you like.
For a while people believed Petone to Ngauranga was dependent on fill from the Petone to Grenada road (now off the table due the vulnerability of its route). But it’s not..
It’s also got funding, which is great; some other projects like the Skypath are not yet fully funded.]
Consultation closes 21st June!
So get in there! If you do it online there’s a cool map-commenting thing, nifty.
Read more:
- Stuff’s coverage of the proposal incl Ray Wallace
- WCC’s information on the Hutt Road (south of Ngauranga) connection
- Cool project posters (also lots of harbour history)
- Press release NZTA: public input wanted
- More on Te Aranui o Pōneke: Website; Email them; call Graeme Hall, Trust Chair 021 606101.
Image credit: Ross Giblin
One thing that that seems to have dropped off the radar is the potential for improving the railway at the same time. Because of curvature, the current rail ruling speed is 70km/h, substantially lower than the road’s legal 100km/h (or actual 100+).
Increasing the rail speed by straightening of the line would improve the competitiveness of rail compared with road, and would be (relatively!) simple to do at the same time as practically the entire foreshore is being reclaimed anyway along this stretch. If not done with the path, it is probable that it would mean that this restriction on PT competitiveness would miss any chance of being corrected. Improving rail along here is the only realistic to way to increase capacity between Wellington and the Hutt Valley, and of course will have a positive carbon effect, too.
I suggest that submissions should (of course) be supportive, but also recognise and take into account the potential for improving sustainable public transport.