Rifle Range Road | Hamilton City Council

Project Summary

What we're doing

We are planning some changes to Rifle Range Road to make it easier and safer for people to bike and walk.

The upgrades include:

separated bike lanes on both sides of Rifle Range Road, protecting people on bikes from traffic
raised safety platforms on Aberdeen Drive and Weka Street intersections to slow down turning vehicles, making it safer for pedestrians and people on bikes
two new signalised and raised crossings near to Aberfoyle Street and Aberdeen Drive, to manage the speed of vehicles and help people cross safely
moving the on-street parking from the western side of Rifle Range Road between St Columba’s Catholic School and Railside Place to the eastern side
line marking for on-street parking outside Swarbrick Park and Frankton School, to maximise the number of parking spaces
retention of parking on the western side of Rifle Range Road from Walker Terrace to Aberfoyle Street.

Why we're doing it

Rifle Range Road is a high priority route in Hamilton’s citywide bike network plan, linking Dinsdale and Frankton to Maeroa and Forest Lake. We also want to create an environment where children from the four schools in the area can bike and walk more freely and independently.

This project is funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Transport Choices programme, which will help create a connected network across the city, supporting Council’s move to a low emissions transport system in response to climate change.

This project will

Provide safer place to bike or walk
Better connectivity to citywide bike network
Maximise parking spaces

Where are we at

Stage 1 - Planning

September 2023
Public feedback has closed, and the project has moved to the design phase. It will be considered by the Council’s Infrastructure and Transport Committee for…
Stage 2 - Underway

January 2024
With final design and construction approval from Waka Kotahi, we expect work to begin in January 2024.
Stage 3 - Completed

July 2024
Our goal is to complete the project by July 2024. All projects in the Transport Choices programme will be completed by July 2024.

Frequently asked questions

When can we expect construction to start/end?

Construction work is expected to start Monday 15 January 2024 and run until July 2024.

How much will all this cost and how can council afford it?

Transport Choices projects are funded up to 90% by the Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF), not taxpayer or road user charges. Councils fund the balance of project costs. Funding for Transport Choices is administered by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. The budget for this project is $3.5 million. Council’s share is $350,000.

Will there be road closures?

No.

Will the construction work be done during the day or night?

Work will take place between 7am - 6pm, Monday to Saturday, weather dependent. Traffic management will be in place to help guide road users through the area safely.

Will this make my journey through the suburb slower?

During construction, a traffic management plan will ensure traffic flow continues through the project sites.

What considerations are there for people with disabilities?

The upgrades will make it safer for people with disabilities to travel around the area, and make it easier to catch the bus to travel to other parts of the city.

Raised safety platforms on Aberdeen Drive and Weka Street will provide a level pathway from one side to the other, making it easier for wheelchair users to safely cross.

Will the location of these upgrades affect my rubbish collection?

A traffic management plan will guide construction and ensure rubbish collection services can continue as usual.

Is this work part of NZTA’s State Highway 1C project?

No, that is a different project that NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has been working on, to improve safety at the Norton Road roundabout. This project is currently paused to enable further discussion with Government about direction on Road to Zero, and the new Government Policy Statement on Land Transport. A decision is expected in February 2024.

Who uses the bus stops on Rifle Range Road?

There are two bus stops on Rifle Range Road that are only used by Frankton Primary School and St Columba’s Catholic School. Waikato Regional Council bus services, such as the Meteor, all stop on Massey Street.

The bus stop outside Frankton Primary School is not an in-lane bus stop.

The bus stop outside St Columba’s Catholic Primary School is in-lane. This stop is only used by one Ministry of Education bus service each afternoon and there is a median strip that gives the ability for drivers to move around the bus. We do not expect there to be any impact on traffic.