Mt Vic tunnel-still a barrier for cycling or walking
Although there are quite a few people walking and cycling through the Mt Vic tunnel, most I spoke to when I was there Saturday morning considered it an unpleasant experience. One young man said that he felt that every journey took minutes off his life.Census data shows Hataitai residents aged 18-64 comprise 76% of the population (Wellington average 63.6%). In particular, Hataitai has high proportions of those aged 18-24 (15.9% vs Wellington average 10.3% ). These younger people are less likely to own a car and hence to use public transport or walk or cycle.
A higher than average number of Hataitai residents are in work ( 9.2% not working on Census day vs Wellington average 10.1%), and are less likely to be working from home (4.3% vs Wellington average 5.7%) – they are likely to need to go into the city for study or work.
Hataitai residents are very likely to use the bus to get to work ( 26.2% vs Wellington average 7.6%), or to cycle ( 3.6% vs Wellington average 1.7%). Despite Hataitai being geographically close to the city, they are less likely to walk ( 8.3% vs Wellington average 8.8%).
The question I am interested in, given that the new Mt Vic tunnel could still be five or more years away, is there anything that could be done soon to further improve the pedestrian/cycling experience through the tunnel?
What is the air quality now? (I know it has improved, but has it improved enough?).
Could anything be done about the tooting?
Could there be a perspex partition ( or something similar) to cut down the noise, fumes and particulates?
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As encouraging active transportation has multiple social and private benefits, I’m just raising these matters for consideration……I’d love to have more discussion on this issue, so please feel free to comment.
Sarah Free 
I walk through the tunnel 4 days a week. I don’t notice fumes (I do when driving through, but the walkway seems to be well-ventilated). If there was a perspex partition it would just get covered in graffiti. Walking through the tunnel would be much more pleasant if cyclists would slow down.Apparently most of them can’t read the signs at each end that say ‘give way to pedestrians’. They are really scary, zooming past in a space about 2 feet wide. I have taken to walking down the middle of the walkway, instead of keeping left, to force cyclists to slow right down. And if we get a new tunnel with a wider but shared walkway/cycleway, it will only encourage more of them to use it and go faster. Maybe judder bars for bikes would help?
Cyclist believe that they own the pedestrian access in the tunnel, they are speedsters and regard pedestrians as being in their way.
Signage needs to change to make it clear what a danger they are to pedestrians.
Hi Jair, thank you for your comment. To be honest, I think the current situation is scary for everyone, cyclists and walkers, but it certainly doesn’t help if cyclists are going too fast. I will ask our staff about signage.