Environment

Heritage Significance

The area where the 700 metres of new road will be built, Te Aro, is an area of known Maori occupation and an older part of the European settlement of Wellington.

Transit is taking great care to ensure the character and heritage of the Cuba and Te Aro areas is preserved during construction of the Bypass.

To ensure the work is being carrier out in the best possible way, Transit has worked extensively with heritage experts, interested individuals and groups over many years, and collated extensive information on archaeological material.

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Construction Effects

The Bypass construction team will comply with the consent conditions to ensure construction impacts, such as noise, dust, mud, and traffic are appropriately managed and minimised.

There will be occasions where the construction team need to work outside our designation hours, and these instances will be publicised on radio, on electronic variable message boards, through letter drops, and in our newsletters.

There are traffic management criteria that must be maintained to ensure the effect of road users is minimised.  The contractor undertakes regular travel time surveys (joins in with the flow of traffic and times the trip) to ensure the impact of construction is minimal.

The construction team have just secured 100% compliance from their Environment Consents audit for the second year in a row.

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Noise / Visual Effects

Transit has undertaken substantial work to ensure that the visual and noise effects of the state highway is minimised.  Work to mitigate these effects include the installation of acoustic barriers, planting and green spaces, boulevard of trees along the northbound route, use of historic bricks within the landscaping, a mural on Buckle Street retaining wall, and contribution towards a sculpture for the corner of Cuba and Arthur Streets.

Pedestrians / Cyclists

Pedestrian and cycle facilities have been greatly improved as part of the Bypass project.  Just over 1km of new footpath and dedicated cycleway have been constructed. 

All signalled intersections will include pedestrian phases for safe crossing of these busy roads.  A dedicated cycleway will be provided along the northbound route and is consistent with the Wellington City Council’s Cycle Strategy.

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Public Transport

The realignment of the state highway traffic onto the new northbound route, and southbound onto Vivian Street, permits Wellington City and Greater Wellington Regional Councils to investigate further public transport options along Taranaki and Ghuznee Streets.

Landscaping

Transit has undertaken extensive investigation and planning to best integrate the new state highway into the urban landscape.

Streetlighting will be installed along the state highway, and in smaller green “pocket parks” created as part of the Bypass works. 

The pocket park in the old Tonks Avenue area will feature a well we found as part of our archaeological investigations.

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Stormwater

The construction team are treating stormwater runoff from the site through sediment collection devices, before the water enters the city’s stormwater system.