Groundhog Day: will AT finally do the right thing on Great North Road?

Update: The AT Board approved this project! See nice write-up here by Simon Wilson. Onwards! Tuesday 27 June is Groundhog Day for the Auckland Transport Board, which finds itself at a self-imposed crossroads on Great North Rd. The Board can finally green-light the design it first approved for construction back in October 2021, after what has been an extraordinary process of delay.…
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Kidical Mass: the future on wheels

This post began as a thread over on Twitter, where it struck a chord. All I did was share some thoughts and photos from last weekend’s lovely Kidical Mass bike ride (hosted by Bike Auckland under the banner of Biketober and the inaugural Auckland Climate Festival)… and it really took off.…
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Bikes vs cars (per capita)

As the saying goes, ‘Bikes Are Climate Action‘. Using bikes for short trips is a key part of how we can cut down on unnecessary driving in order to lower emissions. But you still hear people in New Zealand doubting how ready we are to seize this opportunity.…
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A tale of two paths

Two major new shared paths have opened in the last couple of weeks, excellent news for Aucklanders who like to walk, bike, scoot, roll, and otherwise get around in the fresh air: Section 2 of the Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive project, between Ōrakei Basin and St John’s Road The New Lynn to Avondale path, connecting the two suburbs and their train stations The freshly completed GI2TD Section 2 is 2.65km long, and New Lynn to Avondale is 2.9km.…
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Time to end our safer speeds experiment?

It’s important to give credit where it’s due. Auckland Transport’s Safer Speeds team deserves credit for a life-saving intervention that’s been flying under the radar, even as news headlines highlight the ongoing avoidable and heartbreaking harm to people just trying to get where they’re going.…
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From newsflash to carwash: climate coverage in the media

Last weekend’s Mediawatch story by Hayden Donnell – it’s really good, please do make time to read it – zoomed in on a particular paradox of our media at the moment. Which is: while climate change is the overriding story, anything that makes the tiniest progress towards addressing it – like, say, swapping a handful of parking spaces for bus or bike lanes –  is still presented as “controversial”.…
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Wanted: Change Agent

The job advertisement for new CEO of Auckland Transport was posted on Monday, with a closing date of 31 March 2022. Just ten days to get your CV together or shoulder-tap your ideal candidates! Here’s the role in a nutshell: AT is seeking an exceptional Chief Executive to lead the organisation.…
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Lifting Vision Zero from footnote to top of mind

Once upon a time in November 2021, Auckland Transport asked for feedback on a proposal to add parking time-limits at some corner shops on Grenada Avenue in Forrest Hill. At the bottom of the project page was a familiar bit of language about Vision Zero: This is a common footer on AT’s webpages and emails; a steady drumbeat reminding us that safety is literally the bottom line for all operations.…
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