We're making two intersections on Moorhouse Avenue safer and more accessible for pedestrians.
Keep up to date as the project progresses
Moorhouse Avenue is one of Christchurch's busiest transport corridors, with approximately 24,000 vehicles passing through each day. It's also a key route for pedestrians and cyclists travelling to and from the central city.
At the eastern end of Moorhouse Avenue, these numbers are expected to increase even further, with the new One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha due to open in April 2026. The surrounding south-east central neighbourhood population is also growing, and thousands of students travel through the area each day to access Ara Institute of Canterbury.
Safety improvements
Due to the growing demand from increased population and vehicle activity in this busy part of the city, we're improving pedestrian safety and accessibility at two intersections – Moorhouse Avenue, Gasson Street and Madras Street, and Moorhouse Avenue, Barbadoes Street and Waltham Road.
Project timing
Work starts on Sunday 12 October and will take around four weeks to complete. Our contractor, CORDE, will be working over night at times to progress the work efficiently and reduce disruption as much as possible.
The following traffic impacts will be in place until Friday 7 November.
- Moorhouse Avenue will be reduced to two lanes during the day, in both directions, between Fitzgerald Avenue and Madras Street.
- Moorhouse Avenue will be reduced to one lane in both directions at night.
- Madras Street will be reduced to one lane heading north between Moorhouse Avenue and Allen Street.
- Gasson Street will be reduced to one lane heading north between Carlyle Street and Madras Street.
- Left turn lanes at the following intersections will be closed from 9am to 4pm and 7pm to 6am:
- Gasson Street onto Moorhouse Avenue
- Moorhouse Avenue onto Gasson Street
- Moorhouse Avenue onto Waltham Road
- Left turn lanes onto Madras Street will be closed at all times.
- Some parking will be temporarily removed during the works.
- We’re maintaining business, pedestrian and cyclist access at all times.
- Please follow the temporary 30kph speed limit in place to keep everyone safe.
- There will be footpath access around the work site.
We appreciate that these works may be disruptive and thank you for your patience. We will try to limit disruption as much as possible.
Where we are working
Moorhouse Avenue, Gasson Street and Madras Street:
Moorhouse Avenue, Barbadoes Street and Waltham Road:
Moorhouse Avenue, Gasson Street and Madras Street intersection works involve:
- Installing a new staggered ‘green man’ crossing on the east side of the intersection with a waiting area in the current raised central median.
- Retaining the north-west slip lane from Moorhouse onto Madras with a priority crossing on a safer speed platform to slow traffic down.
- Installing priority crossings and speed humps on the existing slip lanes from Gasson Street onto Moorhouse Avenue and from Moorhouse Avenue onto Gasson Street.
- Repainting road markings, including cycle lanes.
Moorhouse Avenue, Barbadoes Street and Waltham Road works involve:
- Installing a new staggered ‘green man’ crossing on the east side of the intersection with a waiting area in the current central median strip.
- Installing a priority crossing and speed hump on the existing slip lane from Moorhouse Avenue onto Waltham Road.
- Repainting road markings, including cycle lanes.
Consultation
We consulted with the community on our plans to improve pedestrian safety at two Moorhouse Avenue intersections from 3 to 21 April 2025. View the consultation page(external link) and find a summary of what we heard(external link).
Decision making
At their meeting on 18 June 2025, the elected Council approved the revised scheme designs for the Moorhouse Avenue pedestrian safety improvements.
View the Council meeting(external link) or see the meeting agenda(external link)(external link) for more information.
Read more about the decision on Newsline(external link).