Lanes Flat is the area between the Pāuatahanui village roundabout and the Transmission Gully interchange. PRA has recently been in discussions with Waka Kotahi and CPB-HEB Transmission Gully Project regarding the work still to be completed on Lanes Flat.

The area to the south of the road is being restored and will be planted to effectively become an extension of the wildlife reserve. There will be a 3m wide path, following the stream, along the south side of the area. Waka Kotahi has confirmed that “they have agreed (with Porirua City Council) to construct a pedestrian/cycle bridge adjacent to the existing bridge over the Pāuatahanui stream. This will connect to the footpath between the bridge and Joseph Banks Drive in Whitby, and also to the footpath that goes under the western end of the SH58 bridge and connects to the Lighthouse carpark. Once that pedestrian/cycle bridge is completed, there will be multiple paths and crossing points available for people to choose the route that best suits them (depending on where they are walking to and from), which will include an off-road path that people can take all the way from the Pāuatahanui village to Bradey Road without needing to cross SH58 or any of the TG on/off-ramps if they prefer not to. 

For people walking between the village and St Joseph’s Church, they could use that off-road route to Bradey Road and then either cross SH58 at the crossing point just east of the eastern roundabout (where there will be a median refuge, so people only need to cross one direction of traffic at a time) or at Bradey Road (where there will be a raised median island that they can use as a refuge if they choose to). Once all the work is finished, Waka Kotahi believe the walking and cycling routes/facilities to and from Bradey Road and St Joseph’s Church will be substantially better and safer than existed before Transmission Gully began (when people would have needed to walk along the shoulder of SH58 to get to or from Bradey Road or St Joseph’s Church).”

A concept diagram for Lanes Flat can be found here.

In response to PRA’s concerns over pedestrian safety, CPB-HEB/Transmission Gully Project noted that the path connections “have been assessed against relevant standards and peer reviewed for functionality and safety from a crime prevention perspective.  The designs for the SH58 interchange have also had an independent safety review, in terms of safe public use by all modes (vehicles and walking/cycling).  While works are ongoing, it can feel less safe with confusing temporary signage and cones everywhere.  When works are complete, including traffic island refuges, etc, the area will be visually simpler and I’m sure it will be a much better environment for pedestrians.”  More specific information on how the safety was assessed was provided to PRA.