Training and Research

ViaStrada was commissioned by Auckland Transport to edit and review a red light camera pilot evaluation draft report and provide an international literature review. The project was completed in one week.

Following on from an award winning Fundamentals course on Planning and Design for Cycling, an Advanced course was developed in 2009 in conjunction with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to meet the needs of the NZ transportation industry. Module 3 covers mid-block design. Lectures are complemented with hands-on exercises and a site visit.

To enable practitioners to study the material, even if they haven't attended the course yet, the PowerPoint presentations are made available on our training course material page.

Following on from an award winning Fundamentals course on Planning and Design for Cycling, an Advanced course was developed in 2009 in conjunction with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to meet the needs of the NZ transportation industry. Module 4 covers intersection design. Lectures are complemented with hands-on exercises and a site visit.

To enable practitioners to study the material, even if they haven't attended the course yet, the PowerPoint presentations are made available on our training course material page.

ViaStrada has undertaken significant research and tool development on behalf of VicRoads (Victoria, Australia) to determine appropriate shared use path widths based on user volume characteristics. This work has been published as VicRoads Cycle Note 21 on shared use path design.

Walking and cycling strategies are useful tools that aid councils in providing for pedestrians and cyclists. In 2005, earlier research found that 36 strategies were held by 30 different councils throughout New Zealand. A stocktake of all current walking and cycling strategies was undertaken. This revealed that there are now 61 strategies prepared by 55 different councils (out of 85).

ViaStrada researched continuous cycle counting technology for the New Zealand Transport Agency. The research report is now available.  By "continuous" we mean counts of a few months duration or longer. Shorter-term counts (days or weeks) are probably best done by conventional rubber tube cycle counters. The aim is to provide road controlling authorities and others in New Zealand with information on the effectiveness and availability of these tools. This technology will aid the planning and monitoring phases of cycling projects and hence assist with the funding process.

This project consisted of two components:

1) an internet-based survey of road controlling authorities (RCAs) and regional councils about their experience and interest in counting cycle traffic, either manually or automatically, and

2) a literature review of traffic-counting technology able to detect and monitor cycle traffic on a continuous basis.

We subsequently undertook further research on counting technologies.

ARRB Group (Melbourne) ran two-day workshops on "planning and developing walking and cycling strategies" in Australia and NZ. Andrew Macbeth teamed up with ARRB to develop content and deliver (with an ARRB co-presenter) the NZ workshops in Wellington and Christchurch.

ViaStrada staff are the only authorised agents for delivering SIDRA INTERSECTION training courses in NZ. The courses run by the software developer Akcelik and Associates receive a very high rating. ViaStrada is proud to have so far received the same positive results.

ViaStrada presents cycling planning and design courses at both fundamental and advanced levels. Over 700 people have attended these courses to date. This page contains background information on the Fundamentals course and its PowerPoint presentations can be downloaded from near the bottom of the page.