Road layout, pavement and bus stop improvements coming to Wallace Street

Improved safety, usability and access are among some of the key improvements that Mount Cook residents will see when a popular Wallace Street bus stop gets an upgrade in the first half of 2022.

Roger Blakeley, Greater Wellington Transport Committee Chair said that an alliance between Greater Wellington, Wellington City Council and local resident and community group, Mount Cook Mobilised, was instrumental in getting the changes over the line.

“I applaud the passionate focus of Mount Cook Mobilised who have long championed a better solution at Wallace Street. What we have here is a prime example of three parties coming together to recognise the limitations of the current road and pavement layout and redesigning it so it will be better suited to the needs of the community,” said Cr Blakeley.

Improvement at the Wallace Street Stop (stop number 7914 opposite Massey) will enable the footpath at the stop to be widened by approximately an additional metre by narrowing road lane widths slightly, as well as narrowing the footpath on the Massey side of the street opposite. This same work will then allow for the slope of the footpath to be corrected and for the existing Real Time Information screen to be moved to a location more visible from the shelter.

Peter Cooke, avid advocate and Chair of Mount Cook Mobilised Community Group, said the changes were welcomed and long overdue.

“We’ve worked closely with Greater Wellington and Metlink for a number of years and they’ve done all they can within the narrow confines of the existing road and pavement layout and the placement of their infrastructure.  What we have now is the solution we’ve always advocated for – wider paths for safer walking, safer wheelchair access and safer shopping,” said Peter Cooke.

Brad Singh, Manager, Transport and Infrastructure at Wellington City Council was proud of outcome and Mount Cook Mobilised’s determination in pushing for a solution that above all contributes to a safer, more accessible and inclusive city.

“Thousands of people use this road corridor each day. It’s a very busy and popular bus stop for students at Massey and Wellington High, as well as elderly and disabled members of the community so making it safer is a good outcome for everyone,” said Singh.

Scott Gallacher, Metlink General Manager, said the work was part of a number of improvement identified across the city that can help make communities safer, provide a far more accessible network and ultimately get public transport moving faster.

“This small but important improvement can serve as the blueprint for change across the Metlink network. Whether its road layouts, interchanges, stations and or other infrastructure, we want to work in partnership with territorial authorities and communities, applying empathy and creativity to design while building upon the relationships with our passengers and the communities they live in,” added Gallacher.

The proposal was ratified by Wellington City Council in early November and works are likely to start in the first half of 2022.