Transport planning and policy

The NZ Transport Agency engaged ViaStrada to investigate options for amendments to several road user rules affecting walking and cycling, particularly near intersections, and then to prepare draft materials for implementing amended road user rule legislation for some of the rules investigated.

The Palmerston North City Council has implemented Bikes in Schools at six local schools. As part of ongoing efforts to ensure continuous improvement, the Council commissioned ViaStrada to undertake an independent review of the programme. ViaStrada investigated selection, procurement and operation processes and made various recommendations for future schools added to the programme.

ViaStrada's John Lieswyn led the development of travel plans for nine primary and high schools within the Hastings District, and assisted the Hastings District Council with their own workplace travel plan. The project formed part of HDC's iWay programme, which aims to tackle declining rates of walking and cycling with carefully planned, sustained investment in walking and cycling.

On behalf of the NZ Transport Agency, ViaStrada conducted a research project to evaluate the safety challenges of e-bikes and other low-powered vehicles (mobility scooters, e-skateboards, e-unicycles, etc). The aim was to generate a set of regulatory and non-regulatory options for addressing those issues in the New Zealand context.

Part 1 of the research was a review and assessment of technology (e.g. motor controllers, throttles vs. torque activation, lighting and braking), market characteristics, sales projections, and safety studies. Part 2 included workshops with industry and other key stakeholders to inform an assessment of potential regulatory and non-regulatory options.

Transport for New South Wales commissioned ViaStrada to create a benefit-cost analysis tool that assesses measures that prevent fatigue-related road crashes. Based on this tool, ViaStrada also assisted with the preparation of presentation material to make the case for investment in safety measures to address driver fatigue.

During 2014, ViaStrada investigated a network of connected shared paths on the southern side (left bank) of the Manawatu River in Palmerston North and the preliminary location of a new pedestrian cycle bridge across the Manawatu River. The paths have since progressively been built, and the bridge opened in June 2019.

ViaStrada has been engaged to assess the recommendations of the previous studies and identify any additional locations where it may be possible to create passing opportunities in the top of the South Island without significant capital expense.

ViaStrada was commissioned by Dunedin City Council and NZTA to develop a cycling network for South Dunedin and the central city.

ViaStrada was engaged by Hastings District Council to develop a concise walking and cycling strategy, a list of projects with rough order costs, project prioritisation system and package-level economic evaluation.

Reduced traffic speeds have been shown to improve central city liveability and street activity levels. This 2011 ViaStrada project suggested the boundaries, specific techniques, design concepts, and implementation steps needed to create a pedestrian-friendly "slow core" for Christchurch. A new 30km/h slow core has now been implemented in 2016, largely mirroring the area suggested by ViaStrada.