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Streets for People Streets for People

Creating a healthier future by putting people and place at the heart of our streets.

About Streets for People

The Tāmaki Makaurau Streets for People programme aims to make on and off-street changes to get more people to choose low-carbon trips.

Designed and delivered with communities, Streets for People takes a people-first ‘adaptive urbanism’ approach, using temporary interventions to test versions of designs on local people in real time. 

On-street interventions may include street layout changes, wayfinding signage, traffic-calming measures and safer intersections. While on-street interventions focus on the physical environment, off-street interventions aim to increase confidence and capacity within the community, for example, locally led group rides, bike skills training and community events.

Compared to traditional transport projects, these interventions are low-cost and low-risk, allowing our project team to better understand the wants and needs of the local community before making permanent changes. All Streets for People projects will be completed by June 2024.

Learn more and have your say

We want to hear from you! How do you feel about these streets now?

Why adaptive urbanism?

Adaptive urbanism means that we can make changes to our streets quickly, collaboratively, and affordably to meet the growing needs of Auckland’s neighbourhoods.

An example of this approach is Project WAVE, an adaptive urbanism project undertaken by Auckland Transport from 2021 to 2023 as part of the earlier Innovating Streets for People Programme with Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.

This project included trialling a new street layout within the Viaduct that included a cycleway, a one-way system, and increased loading zones. The layout was adapted throughout the trial based on user feedback and monitoring. The success of the trial led to the construction of permanent infrastructure.

From top to bottom, you can see the original street layout, the adaptive urbanism trial changes, and the resulting permanent infrastructure.

Original street layout

Street layout bike lanes

new street layout crossing

The successes, opportunities, and challenges identified by projects like Project WAVE and the wider Innovating Streets for People Programme have helped shape and inform current Streets for People projects.

Learn more about the Project WAVE and Innovating Streets for People.

Project budget and funding

Auckland Transport’s Tāmaki Makaurau Streets for People is part of the national Streets for People programme, led and funded by Waka Kotahi via a $30 million grant from the National Land Transport Plan. Programme applications were made by councils across the country. Auckland Transport is one of 13 successful applicants allocated funds for street-change projects and will initiate projects in Kelston and Māngere.

The Waka Kotahi Streets for People programme will fund 90% of the $5.7m budget for Tāmaki Makaurau Streets for People. These funds will be used for community engagement, consultation, and co-design processes as well as the installation, feedback collection, and maintenance of temporary infrastructure across the two project areas. The remaining 10 per cent will be funded by Auckland Transport.

Temporary trials are a timely and cost-effective way of creating change on our streets. They play an important role in helping us make informed decisions for the long term, ensuring we find the best solutions for local communities. Wherever possible, the temporary infrastructure we use will be made from materials that can be reused or recycled, providing value for money and better sustainability.

To receive updates, ask questions or find out how you can get involved in Streets for People, please email Streets4people@at.govt.nz.