A multi-agency group, including the NZ Transport Agency and Dunedin City and Otago Regional Councils, is consulting on whether to overhaul the way traffic moves through the central city, as preparations are made to build a new hospital.
Joint client lead and city council transport strategy manager Nick Sargent said yesterday he would be able to release the information the group had on how the changes to Dunedin streets might affect travel times through the city, or which intersections might get traffic build-up due to the proposed changes, only "at the post-engagement stage".
On June 19, a spokeswoman for the group confirmed the group had the information but said it was not ready for public review.
"We have only just received the city centre traffic modelling information you asked for and need to review it before releasing it," she said.
Earlier this week, the Otago Daily Times reported two-thirds of responses so far to a survey on changes to the central city one-way system wanted it to remain as it is.
At the time Mr Sargent said the project group had "a pretty good idea" which junctions would come under more strain if changes did cause congestion, but the "initial traffic analysis" was preliminary and required work to refine it.
A lack of detail on "how the proposed traffic flows on the alternative two single-lane roads ... will cope with current and future anticipated traffic" was among the top concerns listed by the group in an update on its engagement process at the start of this month.
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This blatant expensive stupidity must stop there is no necessity to change the one ways at all it's just a waste of tax payer's money.
I agree with Boldor. Also if the changes are not able to be assessed in any way at all before we comment on them since the consulting group says: "We have only just received the city centre traffic modelling information you asked for and need to review it before releasing it," then how can we comment on the proposal?
"how the proposed traffic flows on the alternative two single-lane roads ... “
Failed to mention one of those two-streets is planned to be ‘pedestrian friendly’ which effectively makes it ONE two-way street.
This is the type of political Orwellian double speak that is given us the creeps.
The lack of plain speaking is characteristic of this and the George St project.
Keep it up and it won’t be the fringe groups that will be protesting at your door but everyday Dunedinites.
Your supposed to be public servants NOT spin doctors for the elitists convinced they are saving the planet by saving us from ourselves.
WE DEMAND full concept drawings, traffic analysis, budgets, and consolation on both projects before any work is start on either one.
I have NO CONFIDENCE in how these projects have been handled to date.
Site selection and purchase before any geotechnical research was done, was the first, obvious sign, of the level of incompetence running this show.
The process is pathetic and wouldn’t even pass the planning consent process for a one bedroom house under the DCC’s own rules.
The next meeting of the Dunedin City Council is on 28th July. Anyone who thinks this decision by the DCC or its agents NOT to publicly release critical information until AFTER a relevant consultation period has ended is NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH NATURAL JUSTICE can book to speak at the Public Forum at the beginning of this meeting and tell the elected reps so. If you also put your concerns briefly in writing, that constitutes a written submission and must be archived as part of the meeting. So that could be a PERMANENT RECORD of bad and unjust decision making on the part of the elected reps who comprise the DCC. On the other hand, this restriction on relevant information may be a staff decision which the elected reps don’t know about. If so, they may get it sorted.