SH76 Brougham Street upgrade

• To move more people, and help reduce congestion at peak times, we’re proposing ‘T2’ lanes on Brougham Street. These will operate in the morning and afternoon/evening when roads are busiest, and can be used by cars with two or more people, as well as buses and motorcyclists. 
• T2 lanes help people who share cars or use public transport avoid congestion, meaning they can get where they are going faster. In doing so they help reduce carbon emissions, as well as congestion. When the T2 lanes are operating in the morning and afternoon peaks, parking in the lane will not be available. The rest of the time people will be able to park there.
•  We’re recommending an overbridge as the safest option between Collins Street and Simeon Street for people who are walking or using a bike or scooter, and for people with impaired mobility. We have a concept but we’re planning to work closely with iwi and key stakeholders like local schools on the design options for this bridge.
•  Intersections will be upgraded along Brougham Street. Traffic signals will be improved, and we’re adding turning arrows to make it safer and easier to turn onto and off Brougham Street.  We’re also proposing some turning restrictions. These changes will help reduce queues, keep vehicles moving and make it safer for people using the pedestrian crossings. These changes will also make access across Brougham Street easier for people in cars, on foot or bikes and ensure public transport can move freely. 
• We’re recommending a shared path along the south side of Brougham Street, between Opawa Road and Simeon Street, joining up with the existing Little River Link Major Cycle Route. This path will make it safer for people to connect to the other walking and cycling facilities in the area. The north side footpath on Brougham Street will remain pedestrian only.
• We’re proposing new signalised pedestrian crossings at Montreal and Gasson Streets and one near Wilsons Road. Existing pedestrian crossings along Brougham Street will be redesigned to give people more room, including people who bike or with impaired mobility. We also want to  add pedestrian refuges at key places along Brougham Street. The refuges will give people a safe place to wait in the middle of the highway as they cross the road.
• Our designs support public transport by making buses more convenient both along and across Brougham Street
• We also want to review the speed limit along Brougham Street. We want everyone who travels on or over SH76 (State Highway 76) to be able to get where they’re going safely and easily.  
• We want to ‘green up’ parts of Brougham Street; a big change will be new planting along the south side of the road to separate the shared path from the road. In some areas we will connect the new planting to existing parks and green spaces.

When you are walking along Brougham Street you can use the existing footpath on the north side of the street, or the proposed shared path along the southern side of the street anywhere between Opawa Road and Simeon Street. Getting across intersections will be safer and easier, with improved signalised crossings at all intersections and new signalised crossings at Montreal Street, Gasson Street and near Wilsons Road. Changes to vehicle access on some streets will reduce the number of cars turning across your path. You’ll be able to use raised pedestrian crossings in some places or you can avoid traffic completely by using the new overbridge.  

When you are cycling or scooting you can use the new shared path alongside those walking, with all the same safety benefits while travelling through intersections (see above). This shared path is also a great way for you to connect with existing Major Cycle Routes in the area, such as the Little River Link west of Simeon Street and the Quarryman’s Trail on Antigua Street. There will be dedicated space for cyclists at intersections and new painted cycle lanes to connect into existing Major Cycle Routes in the area.  

If you’re catching the bus your driver will be able to beat some of the morning and evening congestion by using the new T2 lanes, providing more reliable travel times. Upgraded traffic signals at the intersections of Colombo and Selwyn Street let buses go ahead of other vehicles too.  

When you are driving along Brougham Street and there’s two or more people in the vehicle you’ll be able to save yourself some time by driving in a T2 lane. If you’re a passenger, you also get to enjoy a bit of down time! You will be sharing this lane with buses, and people on motorcycles. 

You will not be able to use the T2 lane if you are by yourself, but you will still benefit from reduced traffic. Every car you see in the T2 lane means two fewer cars in your lane. New right-turn signals at major intersections will make it safer and easier for you to turn off or onto Brougham Street and get where you’re going. There will be some changes to vehicle access that may take some adjusting to, with ‘no turn’ signs added on certain side streets, and on-street parking available only during off-peak hours to allow for the T2 lane during peak times.  

If you’re riding your motorbike along Brougham Street you will experience most of the same changes as other vehicles on the road (see above), with one exception. You will be able to drive in the T2 lane during peak times, even if you don’t have a passenger.  

If you drive a truck, you’ll notice a difference at the traffic lights. The changes we’re making will see traffic signals optimized at peak times to make it easier to get to and from important places, like the Port.