Auckland Council projects finalists for Golden Foot Awards
Two Auckland Council projects - the Auckland City Centre Shared Spaces programme and Ciclovia on Quay - are finalists in this year’s prestigious Golden Foot Awards, the national awards for walking innovations in New Zealand
The shared spaces programme is in the running to win the Best New Zealand Walking Facility and Ciclovia the Best New Zealand Joint Walking and Cycling Project categories in the Living Streets Aotearoa awards.
Since July 2011 Auckland Council has transformed six street environments in the city centre from unattractive, one dimensional roads into vibrant “shared spaces” empowering pedestrians, businesses and visitors and redressing the imbalance between people and cars.
These new spaces in Elliott, Darby, Lorne, Fort, O’Connell and Federal streets are now highly desirable destinations where people can move freely and spend time as they wish, and where traffic can continue to move in an appropriate way with drivers being more aware of their surroundings.
An evaluation of the Fort St shared space showed the upgrade resulted in a 54 per cent increase in pedestrian numbers during peak hours, 47 per cent increase in consumer spending and an astounding 429 per cent increase in hospitality spending.
“Our pioneering shared space programme is a New Zealand first and becoming globally recognised as setting a new benchmark for innovative urban street design and the overall walkability of the city,” says Auckland Council Design Champion, Ludo Campbell-Reid.
“Shared spaces are unique in that they help reconcile the requirements for lively space, safety and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians with the access needs of motor vehicles by removing all traditional vehicle management techniques such as curbs, signs, pavements and bollards. That way they encourage cars and vehicles to "share" the space. Rather than chaos, all it needs to work is a bit of courtesy from all users. They are not anti-car but in fact pro-people.
In the shared spaces, tables and chairs from restaurants extend into the street enhancing the vitality of businesses and creating a mix of pedestrians and social activity.
The spaces also form part of a central city wide pedestrian laneway circuit as depicted in the City Centre Master Plan (2012) and incorporate new trees, furniture and public art.
Ciclovia on Quay saw Quay St and the city’s harbour edge prioritised for the enjoyment of people on foot, bikes, scooters and skateboards at Waitangi weekend this year.
The event was designed to give Aucklanders a taste of what the area could be like in the future as part of Mayor Len Brown's vision to make Auckland the world’s most liveable city.
Mayor Len Brown says, “Aucklanders have told us time and time again they want a more vibrant people-focused city. They also tell us that they want Quay St to better reconnect the city with the harbour.”
Ludo Campbell-Reid says: “Quay St has the potential for greenery, recreation and light rail, not just a six-lane arterial route severing the city from the harbour. Events such as Ciclovia are the perfect way to whet people’s appetite for the potential Quay St has as a people-friendly, world-class waterfront boulevard.”
Ciclovia is a Spanish term that means ‘bike path’ and the event has its origins in Bogotá, Colombia where each Sunday and public holiday certain main streets are blocked off to cars for runners, skaters and cyclists to enjoy. These events have become popular worldwide.
The award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Nelson on Wednesday, October 29 as part of the 2 Walk and Cycle 2014 2WALKandCYCLE2014 conference.
Two Auckland Council projects - the Auckland City Centre Shared Spaces programme and Ciclovia on Quay - are finalists in this year’s prestigious Golden Foot Awards, the national awards for walking innovations in New Zealand The shared spaces programme is in the running to win the Best New Zealand...
Two Auckland Council projects - the Auckland City Centre Shared Spaces programme and Ciclovia on Quay - are finalists in this year’s prestigious Golden Foot Awards, the national awards for walking innovations in New Zealand
The shared spaces programme is in the running to win the Best New Zealand Walking Facility and Ciclovia the Best New Zealand Joint Walking and Cycling Project categories in the Living Streets Aotearoa awards.
Since July 2011 Auckland Council has transformed six street environments in the city centre from unattractive, one dimensional roads into vibrant “shared spaces” empowering pedestrians, businesses and visitors and redressing the imbalance between people and cars.
These new spaces in Elliott, Darby, Lorne, Fort, O’Connell and Federal streets are now highly desirable destinations where people can move freely and spend time as they wish, and where traffic can continue to move in an appropriate way with drivers being more aware of their surroundings.
An evaluation of the Fort St shared space showed the upgrade resulted in a 54 per cent increase in pedestrian numbers during peak hours, 47 per cent increase in consumer spending and an astounding 429 per cent increase in hospitality spending.
“Our pioneering shared space programme is a New Zealand first and becoming globally recognised as setting a new benchmark for innovative urban street design and the overall walkability of the city,” says Auckland Council Design Champion, Ludo Campbell-Reid.
“Shared spaces are unique in that they help reconcile the requirements for lively space, safety and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians with the access needs of motor vehicles by removing all traditional vehicle management techniques such as curbs, signs, pavements and bollards. That way they encourage cars and vehicles to "share" the space. Rather than chaos, all it needs to work is a bit of courtesy from all users. They are not anti-car but in fact pro-people.
In the shared spaces, tables and chairs from restaurants extend into the street enhancing the vitality of businesses and creating a mix of pedestrians and social activity.
The spaces also form part of a central city wide pedestrian laneway circuit as depicted in the City Centre Master Plan (2012) and incorporate new trees, furniture and public art.
Ciclovia on Quay saw Quay St and the city’s harbour edge prioritised for the enjoyment of people on foot, bikes, scooters and skateboards at Waitangi weekend this year.
The event was designed to give Aucklanders a taste of what the area could be like in the future as part of Mayor Len Brown's vision to make Auckland the world’s most liveable city.
Mayor Len Brown says, “Aucklanders have told us time and time again they want a more vibrant people-focused city. They also tell us that they want Quay St to better reconnect the city with the harbour.”
Ludo Campbell-Reid says: “Quay St has the potential for greenery, recreation and light rail, not just a six-lane arterial route severing the city from the harbour. Events such as Ciclovia are the perfect way to whet people’s appetite for the potential Quay St has as a people-friendly, world-class waterfront boulevard.”
Ciclovia is a Spanish term that means ‘bike path’ and the event has its origins in Bogotá, Colombia where each Sunday and public holiday certain main streets are blocked off to cars for runners, skaters and cyclists to enjoy. These events have become popular worldwide.
The award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Nelson on Wednesday, October 29 as part of the 2 Walk and Cycle 2014 2WALKandCYCLE2014 conference.
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