Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is looking at providing bus lanes to increase bus reliability and improve bus journey times along SH75 Halswell Road between Dunbars and Curletts Roads.
Our project designers and safety engineers have recommended that the proposed raised median from Augustine Drive/Monsaraz Boulevard to Curletts Road is extended from Augustine Drive/Monsaraz Boulevard through to Dunbars Road to reduce the risk of potential right turning crashes.
This follows further technical safety assessments and a review of the potential land use in the area. The continued residential growth in the south west suburbs and development of land along this section of Halswell Road likely to begin soon will add pressure to the roading environment. Finding a gap in the traffic to turn right from properties and streets will be increasingly challenging and dangerous.
The raised median creates a safer environment, and the safer way to turn right will be by using designated signalised intersections, including the new intersection with traffic lights proposed at Aidanfield Drive.
We appreciate this is a change in the proposal we shared with the community and wanted to let you know about this as soon as possible. We are also talking directly to the affected landowners along this stretch of Halswell Road.
If you have any questions about this, please email the project team: Halswell.Road@nzta.govt.nz
Halswell Road is a State Highway and key public transport corridor which experiences significant transport delays during peak travel periods. It serves the south-west of Christchurch, an area undergoing significant residential growth.
In 2020 we asked the community for feedback about the stretch of Halswell Road between Dunbars and Curletts Roads. We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views and experiences. You can read more about the feedback in our summary engagement report.
Summary engagement report [PDF, 893 KB]
We then considered that feedback together with technical information to determine the best option to progress. We shared that emerging option with the community and asked for feedback from 8 April to 4 May 2021. (See 'Our emerging option' further down the page).
You can see what others had to say on our interactive online map.
View online feedback(external link)
Or read more about the feedback in our Phase two summary engagement report.
Phase two summary engagement report – July 2021 [PDF, 12 MB]
This feedback will be considered together with ongoing investigations and help the project team finalise the design.
What would need to happen
A number of people raised the issue of speed along Halswell Road in their feedback. Speed is outside the scope of this project. However, through a separate project Waka Kotahi asked for feedback on a review of speeds along the SH73 and SH75 Christchurch to Akaroa route.
This project is part of the NZ Upgrade Programme, the Government's $8.7 billion investment in growing communities across the country.
Communities can look forward to transport improvements that provide more travel choices, help people get where they’re going safely and grow our economy, while responding to the impacts of travel on the environment.
Waka Kotahi is working closely with Christchurch City Council which has allocated budget for public transport improvements along Lincoln Road. The first phase of the improvements is along Lincoln Road, from Moorhouse Avenue through the Addington Village to Whiteleigh Avenue. The Council is also proposing a second phase of improvements along Lincoln Road from Wrights Road to Curletts Road.
Waka Kotahi and Christchurch City Council are working together on these projects and are seeking complementary outcomes along the entirety of the south-west corridor to ensure seamless bus journeys for customers.
View larger map