On Sunday 1st May, Karangahape Rd will be open to people with the latest Open Streets event.

Positively it appears that AT have learned from the event on Quay St last year where there was simply not enough space because half of it was still dedicated to moving vehicles while tens of thousands of people crammed in what little space existed. This time the the event will see the road completely vehicle free. In addition AT say they’ll be closing parts of Nelson St and Sturdee St to traffic so that people wanting to check out the Nelson St cycleway can get all the way to the waterfront safely.

I also like the idea of moving the event around to different locations and something I’ve suggested before.

Open Steets 2016 1

AT haven’t said yet how they’ll deal with bus services that pass like the inner Link that through the area.

Karangahape Rd will host Auckland’s biggest traffic-free street event of 2016 on Sunday 1 May from 12pm-7pm.

Open Streets 2016 is a chance to take in live music, street dining, art installations, pop up performances and more on Auckland’s famous street. It will be traffic-free between Upper Queen St and Ponsonby Rd.

Karangahape Rd, which is set for a streetscape enhancement, was chosen for Open Streets 2016 for a number of reasons says Auckland Transport’s Cycling and Walking Manager Kathryn King.

“It’s got a vibrant art, music and culture scene; rich heritage and historic buildings; celebrated eateries and bars; and a rapidly expanding residential community. It’s also centrally located with great connections to our growing network of cycleways, so we’re encouraging people to cycle or walk there on the day.

“The pink Lightpath is right behind Karangahape Rd so it’s a great chance for people to walk or cycle Lightpath and continue around the whole inner city cycle loop. They can also enjoy a drink, some food and listen to free music with friends and family on K Rd.”

Part of Nelson St and Sturdee St (Nelson St Cycleway phase two) will be closed so people can cycle the entire inner city loop. The route starts at Lightpath, continues down Nelson St, Sturdee St to Quay St where cyclists can continue on the Beach Rd and Grafton Gully Cycleway and then back up to Lightpath at the bottom of Mercury Lane.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says Open Streets is a great family event. “Last year it was held on Quay St and there was a huge crowd. This year on Karangahape Rd is a bigger space and I hope to see even more Aucklanders turning out.”

Auckland Transport is working closely with the Karangahape Rd Business Association on this year’s Open Streets, which will reflect the unique character of the destination.

Open Streets is tailor-made for K Road and this Open Streets will be home grown says Karangahape Business Association president, Ross Liew.

“We have a diverse and engaged community of creatives, businesses, NGOs and personalities whose value can be well realised through a platform such as this.”

The family-friendly day will see K’Rd businesses host activities and games for kids, sharing the food and drink from local eateries and showcasing the local artistic offerings through street performance, music and art.

Open Streets is an international initiative to temporarily make a road or area traffic-free to claim the street for walking, cycling, playing and socialising.

Staff from Auckland Council and Auckland Transport will be there on the day presenting early plans for the Karangahape Rd Streetscape Enhancements and Cycleway. It will be an opportunity for all Aucklanders to give feedback on and ask questions about this exciting project.

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12 comments

  1. “AT haven’t said yet how they’ll deal with bus services that pass like the inner Link that through the area.”

    Maybe just stop the bus at one end, and tell people to walk thru to another bus waiting at the other end? (I’m serious) Otherwise divert via Hopetoun Street?

    1. Inner Link Down Newton and Symonds, city link allowed across Queen St intersection to do loop in Newton area. Both need to double infrequency that day for huge demand.

  2. It was communicated some time last year the K road was part of the cycle network and provision of separated cycle lanes would be implemented in 15/16. Has there been any update of this? This is actually a route that would have excellent usage and relevant A to B destination, my only gripe that AT goes for the low hanging fruit rather than tackle the routes all cyclists want such as Karangahape, Ponsonby, domninion, mt eden road and Symonds street which are in the too hard basket

        1. If they surprise me by fixing the Symonds St/K rd intersection, and going properly all of the way to Newton and doiing that intersection right, and do Pitt Street properly the whole way to Nelson and do Upper Queen right through to Ian McKinnon, and fix those awful light phasings I may be patient.

        2. Well we can be pretty sure that AT aren’t going to do any of those things, vehicle LOS remains the priority for AT despite what they like to say in press releases.

  3. We now have annual open st event, can we start to incorporate them as regular event, progressively starting from long weekend public holiday, then all public holdiay, then one day a week, to permanently?

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