A great image of Te Ara I Whiti, The Lightpath as taken from a plane by pilot Vaughn Davis. As he noted in his tweet, it looks like it’s been added in post

LightPath - Vaughn Davis

Yesterday AT also released some updated results of cycle movements on the LightPath and Nelson St. Including opening over 14,000 people had used LightPath and over 6,000 had used Nelson St.  These numbers also don’t include people walking as the pedestrian counter isn’t working yet.Nelson St Cycle Counts - to 14 Dec 15

I hope the sensors are able to pick up cyclists of all ages so that these two will be included in those numbers

Kids using Nelson St

The aren’t too bad numbers for early days, especially considering that the cycleway is yet to be hooked up too many places. Once the rest of Nelson St and Victoria St have cycleways in the next few years, numbers should jump even higher.

Auckland City Centre Cycle Map - Dec 15

Lastly here’s a new video taken on the first hoon on the day the path opened courtesy of Hawkins.

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36 comments

    1. That’s only based on 9 counters that have been installed the longest. There are a lot more counters that aren’t included for consistency when comparing results.

  1. Cycled it on sunday. Very circutious, and the grade up to and on upper queen st is steep. Should have connected to newton rd or the NW cycleway

    1. Yep, they looked at that many yearas ago, and it cost an eye-watering amount. While I’d love to see it one day, it wouldn’t be good spend of money – and LightPath serves people from the east as well, and most of all, it does something that – somewhat circuitous or no – wasn’t there before. Safe cycle access into and along the western CBD axis.

    2. But it is simple from Upper Queen Street to get onto NW cycleway. You just have to go to interescetion after motorway overbridge and use cycle lights to cross.

      Not that fast but it is a clear connection to the NW cycleway.

  2. That picture of the children disturbs me: there is no way that they are mature enough to have the judgement to be cycling on city streets with heavy traffic.

    1. Two things
      1. The cycleway is protected by concrete barriers so it is safe for them to ride on
      2. Their parents were walking down the footpath out of shot

      1. So they would be causing quite a nuisance and obstruction for other people riding, likely, quite, fast, along the cycleway. Why didnt the parents have a bike? The whole thing is not much more than a tourist attraction really rather than a piece of public transport infrastructure.

        1. There is plenty of space for fast cyclists to go around slow ones. As for your comment ” The whole thing is not much more than a tourist attraction really rather than a piece of public transport infrastructure.” I use the Nelson st part Monday to Friday, instead of having to battle the traffic on Hobson St. So is definitely a piece of public transport infrastructure.

        2. Gayle, your comment is angry and illogical: Please try harder.

          And for the love of Jabba the Lower Hutt: Children have as much right to be out and about enjoying the city as anyone: Why pick on them?!?

        3. Exactly. Why aren’t they at home playing computer games or being driven around in a SUV by their parents? Shocking child abuse.

          I remember as a child I was often abused by my parents letting my go out on the streets on a bike with friends but little or no supervision.

          Thank goodness that freedom has been taken away from children.

          Good comment Gayle – you obviously really carefully thought through what you were saying.

      2. It was sunday wasn’t it? Not too many cyclists around. When you look at those numbers, that is like a handful every minute. The little kids are hardly causing an issue.

        1. So every street must have at least 3 cycle lanes in each direction; one for children, one for slow commuters, and one for fast exercisers…? Or we can all use judgement and courtesy and make room for each other. Not difficult when on bikes as we each aren’t isolated within a powerful machine. When not solely viewed through a car windscreen is works perfectly well. There’s room for everyone.

        2. Unfortunately there are idiots on all sides, both on 2 wheels and 4. And even the most patient and courteous among us can switch suddenly to arrogance and stupidity if the right buttons get pushed. Laws, systems and infrastructure have to be crafted to take these human foibles into account. Simply appealing to everyone’s better nature is often not enough.

    2. It disturbs me too that we haven’t considered the safety of children on bikes in our street design in Auckland. Nelson St however is one notable exception.

  3. I think you have reported the numbers incorrectly. We all know that if you want to make a small number look bigger you should report annual figures. In this case the cycleway is carrying 428,000 people per year.

  4. Great new piece of cycling infrastructure.

    However alarming to see so many flouting the law. You may not like it but the law is wear a helmet. Car owners parking on a cycleway wouldn’t get away with the “it’s a stupid rule” defence…

    1. Huh? Making people wear helmets has done nothing but suppress the benefits of cycling. Parking in cyclelanes also suppresses the benefits of cycling. Was that your point? Cycling isn’t dangerous if people don’t drive/cycle carelessly.

      1. I thought my point was really clear. It’s illegal not to wear a helmet while cycling.

        Just because you don’t like a law doesn’t give anyone the right to disregard it.

        Just like parking illegally isn’t acceptable.

        Driving isn’t dangerous either if people don’t drive/cycle carelessly.

        Double standards.

        1. Unlike someone driving illegally and potentially doing harm to you, what do you care if a cyclist doesn’t wear a helmet?

          Sounds like faux concern to me and more about issues with cyclists/tax money spent on them, generally

    1. You got that from a week and a half of data?! I think I’d be waiting until well into the New Year and normal transmission resumed before passing judgement…

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