Statement of Evidence of David John Robert Smith for Waka Kotahi – Traffic (Te Pūtahi Ladies Mile Plan Variation)

Context and purpose: This is the primary statement of evidence of David John Robert Smith (Technical Director – Transportation Planning, Abley Limited) for NZTA (Waka Kotahi), a submitter on QLDC's Te Pūtahi Ladies Mile (TPLM) Variation to the Operative District Plan, heard by an Independent Hearing Panel under the Resource Management Act 1991 (p.1–2). Mr Smith states he has maintained the Queenstown Lakes Tracks Transportation Model since 2012, was technical lead for the Queenstown Integrated Transport Programme Business Case and led modelling for the Queenstown Business Case (pp.11–12). The model was updated to a 2022 base year with forecasts to 2053 to support ORC's Wakatipu Public Transport Business Case, and interacts with a WSP public transport model (pp.12–13). Modelling for TPLM was 'handle-turning' on inputs supplied by Mr Shields (pp.6–7).

Current performance: March 2023 weekday TomTom data (Appendix A, prepared by Mat Collins, reviewed by Dave Smith, 11 October 2023) show AM peak delays of 2–6 minutes on SH6 westbound, 3.5–12 minutes on Stalker Road and 45 seconds–5 minutes on Howards Drive; PM peak delays of 3–10 minutes SH6 eastbound and 1–16 minutes on Hawthorne Drive (p.8). About 90% of peak-direction delay occurs on the approach side of the Shotover Bridge (p.8).

Capacity: Mr Smith estimates Shotover Bridge capacity at 1,590 vehicles per lane per hour (1,560 using Austroads), within a 1,515–1,600 range, versus 1,700 quoted by Mr Shields from Waka Kotahi's submission, which he describes as an upper limit for a rural corridor (pp.9–10). Performance deteriorates before theoretical capacity is reached (p.10).

Future investment: The NZUP Queenstown package includes signals between SH6/6A and Hawthorne Drive, westbound bus lanes on Ladies Mile, a Howards Drive roundabout with underpass, bus lanes between Hardware Lane and SH6/6A, and SH6A improvements (pp.10–11). Timing is uncertain, and Waka Kotahi does not intend to upgrade, replace or duplicate the Shotover Bridge, so 'removing people from their cars and attracting them to public transport is essential to increasing the people movement capacity of the corridor' (p.11).

Impacts: With TPLM, modelled bridge flows are 1,814 westbound AM (+14%) and 1,923 eastbound PM (+21%) without mode shift; with the WSP-modelled mode shift, 1,581 westbound AM and 1,710 eastbound PM (+8%) (p.14). Sidra modelling shows up to 209 vehicles queued on SH6 east of Stalker Road (about 1.5 km) and a combined queue of about 341 vehicles or 2.4 km; 2053 SH6 westbound AM delay of 16–17 minutes (pp.15). He concludes TPLM 'will result in further deterioration in the performance of the key intersections along SH6 Ladies Mile' (p.16).

Risks: delivery of NZUP; local bus priority; behaviour change, as the assessment relies on a shift to 20–21% public transport mode share across the bridge from a 3.3% journey-to-work share; and timing of schools and employment within TPLM (pp.17–18).

Recommendations: signals at SH6/Stalker Road and Howards Drive with a 60 km/h urbanised corridor; further design and modelling; staging non-residential development early; completing key NZUP components before any development; Stalker Road and local bus priority; traffic monitoring and travel planning; Integrated Transport Assessments for all consent applications; and ongoing Way to Go collaboration (pp.18–24).

Mass rapid transit: The document says nothing about mass rapid transit. Its people-moving solution for the Shotover Bridge constraint is bus priority through NZUP and wider public transport investment.