The turn north from St Andrew St could be scrapped as part of a series of changes proposed by NZ Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi to help create a more suitable environment around the city’s new hospital.
Possible changes include creating a Barnes Dance crossing at the intersection of St Andrew St and Cumberland St, SH1, and installing mid-block crossings in Cumberland St near the two supermarkets.
Frederick St would become part of SH88 and responsibility for parts of Anzac Ave and St Andrew St would transfer from the agency to the Dunedin City Council, as that part of the network would lose its state highway status.
The city council was briefed by agency officials about the potential changes this week, ahead of the agency producing a formal proposal for public consultation.
St Andrew St bisects the hospital’s inpatient and outpatient buildings under construction.
NZTA senior adviser Chad Barker said pedestrian movements would be consolidated there.
Putting in a Barnes Dance at the intersection with Cumberland St would mean the agency would need to look at removing the right turn from St Andrew St.
Cr Jim O’Malley expected this could be contentious.
At the moment, about half the traffic movements there were to turn right.
St Andrew St is also expected to take on more of a pedestrian character, in keeping with the hospital development.
Council transport regulation team leader Simon Speirs said aims included improving the environment around the new hospital to enhance access and make the area safer.
‘‘We’ve fought for the hospital, and this is the opportunity for us to create the environment around the hospital to make it work as well as possible.’’
Cr Lee Vandervis said many of the proposed changes, such as loss of carparks, seemed unnecessary.
It appeared an agenda was being pushed to slow traffic through the city centre and remove traffic from it.
Both he and Cr O’Malley were also worried about the capacity of the Ward St railway overbridge.
Cr O’Malley said substantial investment was needed to upgrade the bridge.
The expected increase in pedestrians in St Andrew St prompted Cr Carmen Houlahan to observe the design for the hospital used to include bridges between the inpatient and outpatient buildings.
One of them was cut from the design.
Cr Christine Garey said a second bridge might have made a big difference and Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said it would be useful to have it ‘‘from the get-go’’.
