Lower Hutt Street Art, created in 2021.
Before I experienced the madness and chaos that is the Lower Hutt traffic system—which seems obsessed with roundabouts—I went looking for some local street art. I had read, back in 2021, that twenty-one internationally acclaimed street artists had their work on show as part of The Most Dedicated: An Aotearoa Graffiti Story exhibition, held in the city. Intrigued and curious to see what was still around, I left the Queens Gate Mall and hit the streets.
I Love Hutt City – Street Art
While in the North Island I did something rather foolish. I drove through Lower Hutt on Christmas Eve! What I was thinking, I really don’t know! I had been at the Queens Gate Mall where among other things, I went for a pee and deliberately walked against the flow of shoppers for some festive merriment. The real chaos hit when I left—traffic was horrendous! The road layout had clearly been designed by someone with an obsession for roundabouts. I’ve never seen so many in one place outside of a small English village. I drove through five within 700 meters! That’s right-Five! According to the New Zealand Transport Agency, ‘roundabouts simplify decision making for drivers’ and ‘help traffic flow’. That is, unless you drive through Lower Hutt in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. Then, they are just plain maddening and a tiny bit annoying.