Notification could cause changes

The public notification of the realignment of State Highway 88 near Anzac Ave in Dunedin could result in minor changes to the road's layout, Dunedin City Council staff say.

The realignment will have been in place for more than a year before the intention to designate land for it is publicly notified later this year.

Council transportation operations manager Graeme Hamilton said he could not say when it would be notified, but expected the public hearings that followed would be completed before the end of the year. A decision would follow that.

The redesignation process was started after an extended battle between the council and transport business owner Doug Hall, whose property is beside the new road, which goes around Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Mr Hall was not notified as an affected landowner before the land was originally designated for the road and says there are access issues from his yard that, if left unchanged, would make the intersection of Frederick St and Anzac Ave dangerous.

Temporary arrangements, including plastic barriers and a temporary road closure, have been in place since the road was realigned. Traffic lights installed at the intersection will not be commissioned until redesignation of the land is complete.

The council wanted the lights commissioned to improve traffic flow in the area.

After mediation, a High Court injunction and, finally, a back-down by the council - which had at that stage spent $300,000 fighting Mr Hall - Mr Hall, the council and New Zealand Transport Agency agreed the temporary traffic management arrangements would be left in place until a full notification process was complete.

Mr Hamilton said the notification process was likely to result in some "refinements" of the realignment, with a focus on access to affected properties.

"It should give us a process on the way forward."

Mr Hall could not be contacted yesterday.

A judge is still deciding if the council should pay Mr Hall's court costs to date.

 

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