Council, 2016

This Intersection and Pedestrian Crossing Design for People with Disabilities 2016 [PDF, 10 KB] will apply to:

  • new intersections with pedestrian crossings
  • new traffic signals intersections with pedestrian crossing
  • standalone pedestrian crossings (signalised, zebras or uncontrolled)
  • replacement and repaired intersections with existing and/or new pedestrian crossings; this only applies to major works.

Measures

That suitable and complying facilities will be installed in the situations above to assist people with disabilities (i.e. persons who are visually or mobility impaired) to allow safe and secure passage across the road. These will include, but are not limited to:

  1. Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI) or tactile pavers with contrasting colours.
  2. Audible Tactile Traffic Signals (ATTS), specifically measures for visually impaired pedestrians.
  3. Measures to guide and ease the pedestrian's journey.
  4. Left turn slip lane, pedestrian crossings and islands (refuges), which may include zebra crossings, vertical deflection (e.g. a raised table) and traffic signals to slow down or stop vehicles.
  5. Complying design, siting and colour of push button box for visually impaired persons and placing the buttons at a suitable height for wheelchair users.
  6. Provide drop down kerbs and minimise footpath cambers to assist mobility impaired pedestrians.
  7. Consider longer "green" periods for crossings close to certain facilities, e.g. retirement villages, hospitals, medical centres, etc.

In all cases the design principles and guidance given in the following documents (or any updated version replacing those documents) will be used:

  • New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) RTS 14 (May 2015) – Guidelines for facilities for blind and vision impaired pedestrians
  • Christchurch City Council Equity and Access for people with Disabilities Policy 2001
  • Austroads Part 4 – Intersections and Crossings
  • Austroads Part 4a – Unsignalised and Signalised Intersections
  • Austroads Part 6 – Intersections, Interchanges and Crossings.

It is not the intention of this policy to provide detailed design guidance as this exists elsewhere in the documents highlighted above.

Legal and policy background

  • Christchurch City Council Equity and Access for people with Disabilities Policy 2001
  • NZTA Pedestrian Planning and Design Guide 2009
  • Local Government Act 2002
  • Traffic Control Devices Rule 2004
  • Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004
  • Local Government Act 1974 Section 331(2)
  • Human Rights Act 1993

Revisions to Christchurch City Council documents

The following Council-owned documents will be updated in accordance with this policy:
1. Christchurch City Council Infrastructure Design Standards Roading – Part 8
2. Christchurch City Council Construction Standard Specification Part 6 – Roads