Construction of the SH76 Brougham Street upgrade is set to begin in mid-July 2025, and the project will be delivered in two stages. This approach allows work to start sooner on key safety improvements while planning continues for the full corridor upgrade.
Stage One focuses on the area between Barrington Street and west of Selwyn Street, including the construction of the new Brougham Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge between Collins and Simeon Streets. This bridge will provide a safe, uninterrupted crossing for people walking, biking, or scooting, and will connect directly to nearby schools and residential areas and on into the CBD for workers. Stage One also includes road layout changes to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion caused by queue-jumping at the Barrington motorway ramps.
Stage Two will deliver the wider corridor improvements, including:
The project is designed to move more people using fewer vehicles, making travel safer and more efficient for everyone, whether walking, cycling, taking the bus, or driving. It also supports freight reliability by reducing stop-start delays, helping trucks move more consistently through this busy section of SH76.
With improved safety for vulnerable users, and better connections across and along the corridor, the Brougham Street upgrade will help create a more liveable, sustainable, and connected Christchurch.
We have safety and congestion issues on Brougham Street. We know it is often difficult to get around Brougham Street and the nearby areas, with people walking, cycling, in cars, trucks and buses all competing to travel through and around the same spaces.
Traffic volumes and travel times have increased significantly and there is congestion during the busy morning and evening peak times.
Residents and people looking to turn on and off the roads into homes or businesses feel unsafe, and crash statistics back this up. Between 2011 and 2021 five people died and 40 people were seriously injured in crashes on Brougham Street between Barrington Overpass to Opawa Road intersection.
Around a quarter of the serious injury crashes involved someone walking or on a bike and around 75 percent of the crashes were at intersections.
The Greater Christchurch population is expected to increase by about 158,000 to 640,000 (around 32 percent) in the next 30 years. A considerable proportion of this growth is expected to occur in the southwest corridor, meaning more people will be living in, working and travelling along and around the Brougham area. In the next 25 years container throughput at Lyttelton Port is expected to double, and freight in Canterbury in general will increase.
We need to make Brougham Street safer, more efficient and easier to use but we don’t want to just build more road space as this will simply encourage more people to drive more cars – making congestion and carbon emissions worse.
Instead, we’re using the road space smarter by adding T2 lanes to encourage carpooling and public transport and supporting this change with smarter traffic signal timing and other improvements at intersections.
By making walking, cycling, and public transport safer and more attractive, we’re making it easier for those who can choose these options to do so. In turn, this frees up space on the road for those who need to drive, making Brougham Street work better for everyone.
All right turns from Brougham Street will be protected (have a greenlight arrow—we call this a protected right turn), and some right turns from side roads will have greenlight arrows too.
There will be no right turns at:
There will be no left turns at:
These changes are designed to encourage people to use safer or more direct routes, to protect cyclists or to make other changes possible along the road.
The proposed cul-de-sacs and other traffic calming measures aim to discourage people from using these residential streets as short-cuts. These changes will support quieter, more liveable neighbourhoods and improve safety at intersections with State Highway 76.
Traffic calming and raised platforms are proposed on:
These sideroads will have reduced access or be closed:
Yes. New traffic signals will be installed at the Montreal Street and Brougham Street intersections to improve access for drivers heading into the central city. This upgrade will provide a more direct and efficient connection to the northbound Montreal Street one-way system, helping to ease pressure on nearby intersections and improve overall traffic flow.
This change allows the right turn to be removed at Durham Street and the southbound right turn bay into Colombo Street to be lengthened. These changes will help with the increased traffic demand created by the new Mitre 10 on the Montreal/Brougham corner.
The signals will also include a pedestrian crossing, making the intersection much safer and more accessible. Currently, this location is difficult and intimidating for those walking or biking, and the new signals will provide a safer, more reliable way to cross Brougham Street.
We agree that shifting more freight to rail is a great goal—especially as freight volumes in New Zealand are expected to grow by nearly 40% by 2052. Rail plays a vital role in reducing road congestion and emissions. In fact, without rail, New Zealand would need around 24,000 more trucks on the road.
However, rail can’t do it all. Around 80% of the freight using Brougham Street is serving nearby industrial areas that don’t have rail access. That means road freight will continue to be essential for local deliveries.
The changes we’re making to Brougham Street will help reduce congestion, improve safety, and support more reliable freight movement, while rail infrastructure continues to be upgraded. Together, these improvements will give the region more flexible and sustainable freight options for the future.
We’ve fully considered several options for this location, including upgrading the existing pedestrian crossing. However, this is one of the busiest parts of Brougham Street (and the city), with high traffic volumes and significant safety concerns. Simply improving the crossing would not resolve the growing conflict between people and vehicles.
Pedestrian and cyclist numbers in the area are increasing, and with traffic and freight volumes also expected to rise, the crossing would become even more congested and intimidating to use. This would lead to more delays, frustration, and a growing sense of fear, especially for vulnerable users like children, older adults, and people with limited mobility.
A bridge offers a long-term, safe solution by completely separating people walking, biking, or scooting from heavy fast-moving traffic. It ensures a reliable, stress-free way to cross Brougham Street at all times of day.
We also considered an underpass and other hybrid option along this theme, but it wasn’t feasible due to poor ground conditions, the number of underground services, construction challenges, and community feedback against it.
The bridge is the safest and most practical option to meet current and future needs in this busy and growing part of the city.
As part of planning for the Brougham Street upgrade, we reviewed whether the current 60km/h speed limit is still right for this busy corridor. In the 2021–2022 consultation, there was support for lowering it to 50km/h, and a decision was made to do so. However, this decision can’t proceed due to changes in national speed rules.
At that time, we proposed lowering the speed because it would help the entire Brougham Street and connects work better. With the planned traffic signal upgrades, a slightly lower speed allows for better coordination between intersections, creating a smoother flow of traffic, or a “green wave.” This means vehicles are more likely to hit a series of green lights, reducing stop-start driving, cutting delays, and improving overall travel times. Rather than slowing things down, a lower speed on Brougham Street would help the system run more efficiently and predictably for everyone.
Lower speeds are also safer. Lower speeds reduce the severity of crashes and give drivers more time to react, especially important for people walking or cycling.
People also told us they wanted stronger safety measures on Brougham Street. A reduced speed limit on Brougham Street would help this by lessening the severity of crashes and give drivers more time to react, especially important for people walking or cycling.
Under the Setting of Speed Limits 2024 Rule, we must consider safety, travel times, costs and community feedback when reviewing speed limits. A new speed review for Brougham Street will happen closer to when a change might be needed. We’ll consult with the public again before any changes are made and before construction is finished.
We understand that some people feel uneasy about staggered pedestrian crossings with a median island, but they’re actually designed to make crossing safer and more efficient.
On wide, multi-lane roads like Brougham Street, setting traffic signals to allow people to cross the entire road in one go would mean longer wait times and fewer chances to cross. Pedestrians would also need to start crossing immediately when the signal turns green to make it across safely.
Staggered crossings, which include a safe waiting area in the middle of the road, allow for shorter crossing distances and more frequent opportunities to cross. While it may feel less safe to wait on a median island, it’s no more dangerous than waiting on the footpath. These designs are used to balance safety, traffic flow, and convenience for everyone.
Sharing a ride either on a bus or carpooling is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than driving alone. You can cut your fuel and parking costs and at the same time reduce congestion and harmful emissions. And if you are the passenger you can use the time you’re not driving to do something else.
The T2 lanes will most likely be operational from 7am – 9am and 3pm – 6pm on weekdays. The T2 lanes will run from just east of Collins Street to near Brisbane Street eastbound and from just east of Colombo Street to just passed Selwyn Street westbound. However, the road will be set up so these lanes and the times they are operational can be extended if and when needed.
Signage will let drivers know the lanes are operational and cameras will be used to monitor the T2 lanes. Drivers can be fined $150 for using the T2 lane without a passenger.
Yes, but only during peak travel times. To make space for the new T2 lanes, parking along Brougham Street will not be available from 7am–9am and 3pm–6pm. Outside of these hours, parking will still be allowed on the road shoulder.
We know this change may affect some residents, commuters, and nearby businesses who rely on daytime parking. However, community feedback supported this change to help reduce congestion and encourage more people to share a ride or use public transport.
Residents may need to use driveways or nearby side streets for parking during peak hours, but the benefits include improved traffic flow, safer travel, and better access for everyone.
Some parking will also be lost due to extended turning lanes and merges.
We did look into this option, but modelling showed it created considerably worse congestion, re-routing (moving the problem elsewhere) and rat-running (drivers using residential streets to avoid congestion). It also increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently, Brougham Street gets the largest share of green traffic light time—which makes it feel like a barrier to get through, particularly for those heading north or south, people walking and cycling, and for those relying on public transport.
Our plan upgrades the traffic signals along Brougham Street to improve safety and traffic flow for everyone, not just drivers on Brougham.
Firstly. all right turns off Brougham Street will have dedicated green arrow signals to make turning safer. Many side roads will also get right-turn arrows. This was a strong theme in community feedback - we heard loud and clear that green arrows were needed to stop dangerous maneuverers when several drivers try to turn right as the signals change to red.
With the introduction of T2 lanes, we can rebalance the signal timings. More green time will be allocated to north-south movements, pedestrian crossings, right turns, and bus priority routes, like at Colombo Street.
Thanks to the new T2 lanes, we can make these changes without reducing the number of solo drivers getting through at each green phase on Brougham Street. Instead, we’re using the extra capacity created by the T2 lanes to make the whole system safer and more balanced.
It might seem that way, but that’s not how the T2 lanes will work here. Right now, Brougham Street gets the biggest share of green light time at intersections, which can make it harder for people moving north-south, especially those walking, cycling, or using public transport.
While T2 lanes do add capacity, we’re not going to use the extra space to push more cars through. Instead, we’re reducing the green light time for Brougham Street, so the total number of vehicles moving through stays about the same. The extra capacity from the T2 lanes allows us to shift some of that green time to other important movements—like right turns, pedestrian crossings, and bus priority signals.
This means solo drivers will experience similar travel times to today, while people using the T2 lanes will move more quickly. It’s a smarter use of road space that helps ease congestion without encouraging more traffic.
You can find more detail about consultation on this project on the engagement page:
However, community and stakeholder feedback has been central to shaping this project. Between November 2021 and late January 2022, we asked the public for final input before moving ahead with construction. We wanted to make sure we hadn’t missed anything important. During 2023 and 2024 we worked with community members to shape the design of the Brougham Pedestrian Cycle Bridge. The final design for the whole project reflects a balance of community insights, expert advice, and strategic planning.
Although construction has been delayed due to funding and other planning requirements, the feedback gathered during consultation has remained a key part of the project’s development. Now that funding is confirmed, we’re ready to move forward.
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback while we planned and designed this project. We’ll continue to keep the community updated as the project moves into construction.
Yes. Environmental impacts and climate change were key considerations in planning the Brougham Street upgrade. Our modelling shows that the planned changes should reduce pollution and support more sustainable travel.
Rather than building entirely new infrastructure, we’re making smarter use of the existing road space to improve safety, efficiency, and travel choices. The project is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimise negative effects on the local environment and public health by:
Together, these changes will help create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable transport corridor.
The SH76 Brougham Street upgrade project is also intended to give effect to Toitu Te Taio | The Waka Kotahi Sustainability Action Plan, which sets out our vision for a low carbon, safe and healthy land transport system. Toitu Te Taio also gives effect to other wider climate change policies and agendas, including:
Toitū Te Taiao – Our Sustainability Action Plan
The Brougham Street Upgrade began with the recommendations from the Brougham–Moorhouse Investigation, a joint CCC NZTA project and was later funded as part of the then Government’s NZ Upgrade Programme (NZUP). Engagement on the Brougham Street/Moorhouse Avenue area started in late 2018, with over 2,000 people sharing their ideas, concerns, and priorities. This early input helped shape the direction of the project and laid the foundation for the improvements now being delivered.
This upgrade is part of a broader vision to make Christchurch a safer, more connected, and more liveable city. We’ve worked closely with Christchurch City Council, iwi, and other partners to ensure the project supports wider goals, like improving travel choice, safety, and neighbourhood liveability, while also supporting economic growth and central city revitalisation.
We’ve also identified complementary projects that align with this vision, such as bus improvements on Selwyn Street, enhanced cycling facilities on Gasson Street, and better management of vehicles entering Brougham Street from the motorway. While these aren’t part of the Brougham Street upgrade itself, we’ve recommended they be progressed to maximise the benefits in this area.
