(displays on homepage and search page)
Back to SearchAuckland’s new landmark Te Ara I Whiti (Lightpath) cycleway has been recognised as one of New Zealand’s top infrastructure projects.
The project team of New Zealand Transport Agency, GHD, Novare Design and Monk Mackenzie has received one of the highest honours in the planning profession, the Rodney Davies Project Award from the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI).
The project converted the unused Nelson Street Off Ramp into a vital 1 km long link for cyclists and pedestrians around the Auckland CBD. The project also included a 160 m steel bridge over State Highway 1 that was constructed entirely off site and lifted into place in overnight enclosures. The NZPI award recognised the reuse of redundant infrastructure as an important environmental benefit of the project.
The new cycleway is now an iconic piece of Auckland infrastructure famous for its magenta surface, Maori artwork and nearly 300 interactive LED lights. The structure has made news around the world and was shortlisted for the Infrastructure Future Project Award at the World Architecture Festival 2015.
The project forms part of a city-wide initiative to improve the health and well-being of Auckland’s visitors and residents. The design was developed with the safety and efficiency of the state highway, local road network and pedestrians/cyclists in mind. With an extremely positive response from the public and cycling groups, and an average of 935 cycle trips per day, the NZ Transport Agency is confident that the project is already providing a drawcard for businesses in the local area.
Allenie Smith, from GHD’s Planning team, says, ”Normally, a project of this complexity would take well over two years to deliver, but the team worked collaboratively to deliver this cycleway in just 14 months.
“The tight timeframe and budget for the works might have encouraged the delivery of a completely practical solution. Instead, the project team evolved the design into an iconic urban structure that’s used and appreciated by many Aucklanders.”
The NZPI also acknowledged the team’s extensive research and consultation with key stakeholders, who were able to influence the design from the early stages of the project to create a solution that would be likely to meet the planning and environmental consenting requirements.
NZ Transport Agency working with project partners Auckland Transport and Auckland Council, consulted extensively with Bike Auckland, the Auckland Motorway Alliance and adjacent land owners. GHD facilitated engagement with the wider public as the project gained momentum on social media forums. This included informing the management of site visits without disrupting the construction works, which has helped attract ongoing public support.
GHD people were also recognised at the NZPI awards:
- Bill Harrington, Environmental Planner in GHD’s Christchurch office, received the Wallace Ross Graduate Award for his university thesis on irrigation in the Hurunui District
- Jordyn Landers, a summer vacation student at GHD, won the Reginald Hammond Scholarship Award