Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) is a program aimed at improving and better integrating Wellington's transport networks. It is a joint initiative between Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, and the NZ Transport Agency.
The Recommended program of Investment includes a 20-year transport plan for Wellington, however, the LGWM program is focusing on four immediate projects, including:
- Golden Mile
- Thorndon Quay & Hutt Road
- the Cobham Drive crossing, and
- walking improvements in the central city.
In addition, the LGWM Program includes the Mass Rapid Transit project, which would see connections between Wellington Railway Station and Island Bay, a dedicated public transport tunnel through Mount Victoria and changes to the existing tunnel, bus priority between the CBD and Miramar, and improved access to the Basin Reserve.
The connection from Wellington Railway Station to Island Bay has two proposed options, including:
- light rail from Wellington Station to Island Bay, and bus priority to Miramar and Wellington International Airport, and
- an electric bus system from Wellington Station to Island Bay, and bus priority to Miramar and Wellington International Airport.
Key Dates
| 2016 | Project Announcement |
| May 2022 | Construction Commencement - Cobham Drive Crossing |
| 2023 | Expected Construction Commencement - Golden Mile |
Funding contributions
| NZ Government |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Wellington City Council |
PROJECT HISTORY
| 2016 | Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, and the NZ Transport Agency commenced work to devise a plan for the city's transport networks to ensure it can support forecast economic and population growth in Wellington and surrounding regions. |
| May 2019 | LGWM released a Recommended Program of Investment, outlining a 20-year transport plan for Wellington. It provides details for NZ$6.4 billion (AU$6.13 billion) of proposed investment across a range of projects. |
| Jun 2019 | A draft Business Case Report for the program was released. |
| Jul 2019 | The New Zealand Transport Agency approved funding of NZ$66 million (A$63 million) for the program. This will allow the program to move to the next phase of planning, and will support the development of the early delivery program alongside development of detailed business cases for the more complex components of the program. |
| Oct 2019 | LGWM held an industry briefing which detailed the large components of upcoming business case work for the major projects under the program. |
| Dec 2019 | Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council voted on new relationship and funding agreements, including advanced funding to fast track the next stage of business case development. |
| May 2020 | The NZ Transport Agency issued a Request for Proposal to deliver a package of travel behaviour change measures, which can be implemented as part of LGWM program. |
| Feb 2021 | The New Zealand Government announced that, following a review, the program would be changed to focus on projects that can commence construction by 2024. The major projects previously announced as part of the program have been delayed. The NZ Government announced indicative timelines for their completion would be revealed in July 2021. |
| Apr 2021 | The Let’s Get Wellington Moving Partnership Board appointed a Chairperson. |
| Jun 2021 | Providing an update to stakeholders on the short-term horizon, Lets Get Wellington Moving outlined a three-year work program that included Golden Mile, Thorndon Quay & Hutt Road, the Cobham Drive crossing, and walking improvements in the central city. Packaging or contract values for these projects were not confirmed. |
| Aug 2021 | Let's Get Wellington Moving announced that a 10-year, NZ$350 million 'City Streets Package' will be considered by the Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency over the coming weeks. LGWM noted that its approval would unlock funding for detailed investigation along nineteen recommended corridors. |
| Aug 2021 | Wellington City Council issued an Advanced Notice for the delivery of the first two works packages under the three-year program. The packages were for Golden Mile and Thorndon Quay & Hutt Road. Tendering on these packages were expected to commence in November. |
| Sep 2021 | Wellington City Council issued a Registration of Interest (ROI) for the first tranche of works under the City Streets package, closing on 23 September. |
| Sep 2021 | Waka Kotahi's 2021-24 National Land Transport Program allocated a combined NZ$159 million to a number of projects including City Streets Package, Thorndon Quay and Hutt Road, Golden Mile redevelopment of Lambton Quay and Willis Street, and Managing Travel Demand package. Further NZ$159 million and NZ$$92 million were allocated for the detailed business case through to implementation of mass rapid transit and State Highway 1 improvements respectively. |
| Sep 2021 | The indicative business case for the implementation of MRT in Wellington concluded that the two modes of MRT to be assessed ahead of the detailed business case would be electric articulated buses and light rail. |
| Oct 2021 | The preferred option and detailed designs for the Golden Mile project were selected. The preferred option 'Transform' will change the road layout to create 75 per cent wider pedestrian spaces, bus lanes and dedicated areas for people on bikes. |
| Nov 2021 | The NZ Government released four options for the Basin Reserve and an extra Mt Victoria Tunnel projects for public engagement. The four options include a south coast light rail and new public transport tunnel, bus rapid transit to the sea and skies, south coast light rail, and south coast light rail via Taranaki. |
| May 2022 | Construction commenced on the Cobham Drive Crossing project, with the new crossing expected to be operational in October 2022. |
| Jun 2022 | The New Zealand Government has announced a light rail network and a new public transport tunnel through Mount Victoria as the preferred option for the mass rapid transit project of the Let’s Get Wellington Moving program. |
| Jul 2022 | Greater Wellington Regional Council and Wellington City Council have approved the preferred mass rapid transport option for the Let’s Get Wellington Moving program endorsed by the New Zealand Government. |
| Jul 2022 | Let's Get Wellington Moving opened public consultation on the detailed design of the project's Golden Mile component. Public consultation runs from 11 July until 14 August. |
| Aug 2022 | The LGWM program announced consultation on the Golden Mile project had been completed, and confirmed construction is expected to commence in early 2023. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2019)
Sector
Other Transport
Procurement approach
Unconfirmed |
Location
New Zealand |
Resources
Government resources
LGWM Recommended Program of InvestmentProgram update - June 2021
National Land Transport Program
September 2021 Stakeholder Update
