Using this aerial picture from Google of downtown Auckland (which is recent I know), I will concentrate on the street network that serves and surrounds Queens Wharf, and investigate the recent history of change...
(Dates are approximate. And forgive some latitude with detail.)
Boy racers made Queens Street hell on a Friday night, heavy traffic ran through the streets getting from A to B.
Ports of Auckland owned and operated Queens Wharf, and any related traffic movements were as shown, on the other side of the red fence.
There were some bus routes into the heart of the CBD, but it was before the Northern Busway, and it was when buses had their station at the old Britomart - which is to the right of this map.
Queens Street had good footpaths, for pedestrians, but Queens Street was not a pleasant walking environment because of the priority given the general traffic.
Rail came into the CBD at Britomart.
General traffic was excluded for Queen Elizabeth Square which became a major bus interchange, with better pedestrian amenity than my map suggests (forgive me).
Buses came and went along Customs Street, and into and out of Queen Elizabeth Square. More bus services were provided along Queens Street.
And the pedestrian environment along the seaside of Quay Street was widened and significantly improved.
This map shows the improved pedestrian environment that had been provided earlier in Queen Elizabeth Square.
It also records the dramatic improvement in pedestrian amenity along Queens Street. The narrowing red line along Queens Street reflects the fact that the changed priorities in favour of buses and pedestrians led to a significant drop in general traffic using Queens Street.
The green line at the bottom of the map records the development of the very popular "shared space" roading in that narrow street area of the CBD.
Also, and we must not forget this, a large section of Quay Street was completely pedestrianised for long periods.
No general traffic, or buses were allowed in Quay Street. This was a significant moment, and one which was hugely appreciated and enjoyed by visitors to Auckland's downtown waterfront.
This map records the main changes.
It began slowly at first.
General traffic and some buses were allowed onto Queens Wharf using the red fence gate nearest the ferry terminal. At the time I recorded the danger this posed to pedestrians and ferry users in this posting.
Another change was that part of the wharf (by Shed 10) has been permanently fenced off, and is used by traffic serving visiting cruise ships.
The most damaging change has been the establishment of a traffic light controlled intersection directly off Queens Wharf, onto Quay Street, right next to the ferry terminal, directly across from Queen Elizabeth Square, and slap bang in the middle of an area of very high pedestrian movement.
The street end of Queens Wharf is being turned into a road for general traffic, taxis and buses. This road is adjacent to the Ferry terminal, and severs it from the informal public areas and activities that are being trialled on Queens Wharf.
Ironically, changes to passenger handling inside the ferry terminal now mean that the wall of the terminal that faces the wharf could be opened up and activated. (You can see better what I mean with this. Look at this posting in which I use a simple model to roughly illustrate the ferry terminal building edge which can now be activated without affecting ferry services.
It has grown like topsy. It needs to be nipped in the bud. Because there are better ways of managing Queens Wharf's general traffic and bus transport needs.
I accept that there will be a need for traffic movements on Queens Wharf. But these could easily follow the route taken by Ports of Auckland, and entry and exit can be via the POAL's entry further East along Quay Street. As shown here.
Quay Street needs to be developed as Auckland's CBD waterfront promenade. If necessary buses and taxis can pick up and drop off at the ferry terminal on Quay Street.
Queens Street needs to be further pedestrianised.
And Customs Street is the ideal route for a high frequency and high quality tram service connecting the central city with Wynyard Quarter, and servicing Queens Street itself.
This needs Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and Waterfront Auckland to work together and deliver good place-making and transport planning on and around Queens Wharf.
2 comments:
Joel, Bang-on target once again! You have one small oversight: the adjustment to the sequential rotation of the pedestrian/traffic lights at the exit of Queen's wharf that until recently, changed throughout the day causing pedestrian confusion. Your one photo does show the alarming regularity of vehicular/pedestrian conflict at the intersection with Lower Queen Street. There's a pedestrian fatality waiting to happen here....
I agree with you Joel. I use this area regularly as a pedestrian and am becoming more and more wary of traffic on the wharf. At times I've seen as many as 20 vehicles queuing back into the wharf from the lights. Once that que moves and reforms you sever the ferry terminal from a good portion of Queens Wharf. Apart from the Airport bus, I'd require other traffic to access the nearby Ports entrance as you suggested.
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