Walkability audit - Manners, Dixon, Willis and Victoria Streets

March 24, 2003.

Here is the initial announcement, a report to council (pdf), problem report (pdf) and some photos. Also see the DIY Community Street Audit form.

"Please come and document the good and bad things about Wellington's downtown streets, so we can get improvements for pedestrians", says Celia Wade-Brown, spokesperson of Living Streets Aotearoa.

Meet in the foyer at the City Council, Civic Square at 6 sharp on Monday 24th March 2003. About 40 minutes walking and noting will be followed by comparisons and discussions about possible options over a cup of tea or coffee.

We will evaluate the quality of public space, starting with a few streets.

Wellington City Council is committed to considering views of the public in its changes to the Manners/Dixon/Willis/Victoria block. Therefore Living Streets Wellington has decided to look in detail in this area, as its first DIY Community Street Audit.

The method is simple. Small groups of people walk the area and look for good and bad points along the way. As issues are identified, they are noted on large scale maps. We will also take digital photos and report our findings to the Council.

Smooth pavements and clean streets are always the starting point, but there's much more to consider than that.

We will use eight audit categories:

• Footway surfaces and obstructions - evenness, advertising boards, potholes;
• Facilities and signage - toilets, lighting, direction signs;
• Maintenance and enforcement issues - graffiti, cleanliness;
• Personal security - sightlines, anti-social behaviour;
• Crossing points and desire lines - are there safe crossings where people want to go?
• Road layout and space allocation - are the pavements wide enough, are there refuges where necessary?
• Aesthetics and interest - is it attractive, is there public art, green space?
• Traffic - speed, volume, noise and smell.

Photos

Click on the small images to get larger versions.

	Briefing session
	Edwards Street - inadequately covered hazard. Edwards Street is primarily a service access road and not designed for pedestrians. Nevertheless it appears to provide access for nightclubs and is close to Manners Street, Willis Street and we might expect better.
	Edwards Street: rubbish
	Edwards Street: messy corner - note emergency exit keep clear sign.
	Arcade between Edwards Street and Victoria Street: this is a messy corner in a pedestrian area - possibly there isn't sufficient slope on the tiles to allow drainage.
	Arcade between Edwards Street and Victoria Street: should these steps be more clearly defined?
	Facility access in Victoria Street - somewhat uneven surface that could be better integrated into tiled surface.
	The stones on the road surface look nice but may present a pedestrian hazard. They may be useful for alerting blind pedestrians.
	Willis Street: assessing signals for audible and tactile effects.
	Car park and nasty junction
	Mural
	Still the extinct post boxes block the way
	Walkability Manners

To Living Streets site.

To Wellington Region site