RiverLink Notices of Requirement for Designations and Applications for Resource Consent Volume Four: Supporting Technical Reports Technical Report #9 Traffic Impacts and Transport Integration IN THE MATTER OF The Resource Management Act 1991 AND IN THE MATTER OF Resource consent applications under section 88, and Notices of Requirement under section 168, of the Act in relation to the RiverLink project BY Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Requiring Authority Greater Wellington Regional Council Requiring Authority Hutt City Council Requiring Authority RIVERLINK TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT #9 TRAFFIC IMPACTS AND TRANSPORT INTEGRATION ASSESSMENT Table of contents 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 3 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................... 6 4 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................... 14 5 EXISTING AND FUTURE TRANSPORT ENVIRONMENT ................................................. 20 6 ASSESSMENT OF OPERATIONAL TRANSPORT EFFECTS ........................................... 37 7 ASSESSMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TRANSPORT EFFECTS ........................................ 61 8 MEASURES TO AVOID, REMEDY OR MITIGATE ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL ADVERSE TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC EFFECTS .................................................................. 80 9 ALIGNMENT WITH POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND OBJECTIVES ................................... 83 10 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................... 88 Table index Table 1 Road crash history .................................................................................................................... 31 Table 2 Lower Hutt Central City Parking Capacity Summary ........................................................... 33 Table 3 2036 AADT traffic flows for Do Minimum and with the Project (vehicles per day) .................... 45 Table 4 Changes to Parking .............................................................................................................. 48 Table 5 Proposed Central City Parking Changes ............................................................................. 49 Table 6 Site Compound Utilisation Table .......................................................................................... 65 Table 7 Summary of traffic volume information ...................................................................................... 67 Table 8 - Metlink Public Bus Routes ...................................................................................................... 94 Figure index Figure 1 New diamond interchange at Melling ..................................................................................... 8 Figure 2 Road network used for assessment ......................................................................................... 17 Figure 3 Transport modelling hierarchy ................................................................................................. 18 Figure 4 Overview of road in Project area .............................................................................................. 21 Figure 5 Alternate access routes through central Hutt ........................................................................... 22 Figure 6 Day time bus routes in Project area ......................................................................................... 26 Figure 7 After Midnight bus routes in Project area ................................................................................. 27 Figure 8 Active transport route between Melling Station and Lower Hutt central city ............................ 29 Figure 9 Location and classifications of parking .................................................................................... 35 i Figure 10 Project active transport network ........................................................................... 39 Figure 11 2036 AADT traffic flow changes (%) with the Project (key routes) ........................................ 47 Figure 12 - Parking area of influence ..................................................................................................... 51 Figure 13 Alternative route 1 .................................................................................................................. 56 Figure 14 Alternative route 2 .................................................................................................................. 57 Figure 15 Network resilience plan .......................................................................................................... 60 Figure 16 Construction site compounds and vehicular access .............................................................. 63 Figure 17 Construction site compounds ................................................................................................. 64 Figure 18 Traffic route diversion due to temporary market relocation ................................................... 67 Figure 19 Stage 1 Construction Route ................................................................................................ 70 Figure 20 Stage 2 Construction Route ................................................................................................ 72 Figure 21 Stage 3 Construction Route ................................................................................................ 74 Figure 22 Stage 4 Construction Route ................................................................................................ 76 Figure 23 Summary of strategic framework and investment priorities ................................................... 87 Appendices Appendix A - Traffic Modelling Report Appendix B – Road Classification Appendix C – Existing traffic volumes Appendix D – Existing Bus Network Appendix E – Historic Crash Analysis Appendix F – Pedestrian overbridge assessment Appendix G – Forecast traffic flows Appendix H Melling Interchange HRIG Analysis Appendix I Hutt Parking Report 2020 Appendix J Construction Traffic Movements Appendix K Construction parking impacts ii 1 INTRODUCTION 1. My full name is Duncan Barry Tindall. I hold the position of Technical Director in the Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering team at GHD New Zealand Limited (GHD). 2. I have been assisted in my assessment by Will Bull, Angelia (Zhixuan) Cao and Sharath Kotha who have completed intersection modelling, and assessment under my supervision. I have also relied on the work of Flow Transportation Specialists led by Ian Clark who have undertaken transport network modelling to support my assessment. 1.1 Qualifications and experience 3. I hold the academic qualifications of Masters of Science in Traffic and Transport from the University of London (Centre for Transport Studies) and a Masters of Engineering in Civil Engineering, also from University of London (Imperial College). I am a Member of Engineering New Zealand. 4. I have worked in the field of transport for 23 years and have been working and living in New Zealand since 2010. During this period I have worked on a range of transportation planning projects, development planning and development control across New Zealand. Prior to joining GHD in 2019 I was an Associate with Beca New Zealand and an Associate Director with AECOM New Zealand limited. 5. Prior to undertaking my assessment, I visited the site on several occasions. I was also present throughout two public open days that were held in support of the scheme, during which time I discussed a range of transport and traffic related issues with the community. 1.2 Code of Conduct 6. I confirm that I have read the Code of Conduct for expert witnesses contained in the Environment Court Practice Note 2014. This assessment has been prepared in compliance with that Code, as if it were evidence being given in Environment Court proceedings. In particular, unless I state otherwise, this assessment is within my area of expertise and I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions I express. 1.3 Background 7. RiverLink is a partnership project between Greater Wellington Regional Council (GW), Hutt City Council (HCC) and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi), together with Mana Whenua partners Ngāti Toa Rangatira (Ngāti Toa) and Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika (Taranaki Whānui), collectively known as the Project Partners. RiverLink has arisen to address flood protection issues, transport resilience, accessibility, efficiency and safety issues at the Melling intersection on State Highway 2 (SH2) and urban renewal and regeneration of Lower Hutt central city. RiverLink seeks to resolve these issues and provide an integrated design solution that achieves the best outcome for Lower Hutt. 8. RiverLink is the brand adopted by the Project Partners for the collective and integrated approach to a series of projects within a 3 kilometre section of the Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River (the River) between Kennedy Good Bridge and Ewen Bridge and the immediate urban environs on either side, including the edge of Lower Hutt as it meets the central city. 1 1.4 The RiverLink Project 9. RiverLink’s three separate but interdependent projects include: Flood Protection (GW)