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A $53.2million package will be included in the Dunedin City Council’s draft 10-year plan budget.
If approved, a harbour arterial route and parking management in the central city will be enhanced, and there will be a boost for public transport and walking and cycling networks.
None of the projects are in the 2018-28 plan.
Whether all of them make it into the final 2021-31 plan remains to be seen, but councillors decided yesterday not to leave out any, at this point.
Their inclusion in the draft plan is sure to attract submissions from members of the public eager to make the case for or against the spending.
The city council’s proposed spending is part of a proposed interconnected package worth $104million to be shared with the Otago Regional Council and NZ Transport Agency.
NZTA would also subsidise the city council’s spending to about 50% in all bar one of its projects.
If the regional council projects are approved, the city bus system will get an upgrade.
If NZTA projects are approved, State Highway88 will move from St Andrew St to Frederick St, changes will be made to SH1, the Queens Gardens to Oval Cycleway will be reviewed and safety improvements will be made at the intersection of Great King St and Pine Hill Rd.
The aim is to reduce disruption associated with building Dunedin’s $1.4billion hospital in the central city.
City councillors debated the city council’s portion yesterday.
Cr Jim O’Malley said the projects should be viewed as an integrated package.
Cr Steve Walker said cyclists, bus users and walkers would benefit — and so would car users.
Cr Jules Radich said he did not think the package benefited motorists. He supported three of six projects.
Cr Lee Vandervis voted against every project, labelling the package ‘‘car phobia’’.
Mayor Aaron Hawkins said a holistic transport vision was needed.
It is hoped an efficient harbour arterial route will take pressure off the SH1 carriageways, serving as a central city bypass.
A parking guidance system would include electronic signboards and the paid parking area in the central city could be extended.
A bus priority corridor could be created in Princes St to reduce traffic delays.
More Barnes Dance crossings could be added in the city centre and improved cycling networks created, as well as sheltered bicycle parking.
Park-and-ride facilities could be introduced at both Mosgiel and Burnside. That could help reduce traffic demand in the central city.
Cr Carmen Houlahan, who supported three of six projects, was frustrated by a lack of detail about them.
She was joined in that by Cr Vandervis, who said the financial costs were precise, but information for councillors about the projects was not.
An expensive software package to tell people where car parks were would be a slight on Dunedin drivers, he said.
A decision about whether one-way or two-way traffic is favoured near the planned hospital is expected in March or April.
Construction of the new hospital is expected to start in 2022.
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Comments
When you have a council full of idealogues, failed MPs and generally socialists, you can expect pandering to the 5 cyclists in town and anti-car measures. Enough of this trying to force us out of our cars.
PS Hawkins: try another way of getting to work, hitching and starting at 9-10am isn't befitting of a Mayor.
After yesterday's news, I'm surprised there's no mention of horse lanes being part of the new "holistic transport vision" being touted by one of most experienced and well respected councillors ... what is the world coming too !?!?
"An expensive software package to tell people where car parks were would be a slight on Dunedin drivers, he said."
What am I missing? Sounds like a potentially good idea to help motorists save time and frustration looking for a park. I'd like to see more details around this but at first glance seems a reasoanble idea.
Thank goodness Vandervis is the only councillor prepared to dismiss everything out of hand. Keep taking your pay and doing nothing constructive Lee.
First the council put traffic lights out of sync to cause congested traffic. Then they plan to spend more of OUR money to "solve" the problems they created.
Sounds like I've got this about right?
"parking management in the central city will be enhanced", I will believe it when I see it. Current attitudes from those who have had a "life-threatening" accident and are too scared to drive anymore seem to indicate otherwise.
The minor detail the greens simply can't get their heads around is Dunedin is NOT FLAT. Maybe Dunedin could be a bike mecca, if the place was flat and roads had been built wide enough to devote half the space to seperated bike and walking paths. But it isn't.
The greens idiotic policies are simply destined to fail. We all know it, they probably know it, but they have no problem spending endless millions of ratepayer money on irrational pipe dreams.
Just how does the Mayor expect his elderly neighbours travel to places to shop? We can't all just bludge off other motorists.
I think January should be the month that all motorists refuse to pick up this lazy hitchhiker. Refuse to carry him and let him ride his bike or walk everywhere.