New Dunedin hospital contractor CPB did not respond to requests for comment, but in documents seen by the Otago Daily Times it had proposed to include a truck lane in Cumberland and Castle Sts. The truck lane will be possible by removing four time-restricted carparks in Cumberland St.
The truck lane would be used on the right of the two streets and it is believed they would start at the traffic lights of the immediate intersection. The lanes would give trucks room to drive into the hospital site.
For Cumberland St, it would be from the lower Stuart St intersection to the driveway about halfway down the street, while the Castle St lane would be from the St Andrew St intersection, and again run about halfway down the block.
The cycle lanes would be on the hard right of the two streets with the truck lanes beside them and then two vehicle lanes. The changes are said to be temporary to allow trucks to turn into the site for the new Dunedin hospital inpatient building. The piles have all been capped at the site and construction of the 70,000sq m building is due to start next year and finish in 2031.
Off the Chain Cycles owner Jeremy Forlong said losing the two carparks, which limit cars to five-minute stays outside his business, would be the death of his shop.
"Lots of people tell me how they can stop in the parks right outside and come in and drop off or pick up their bike. I get so much business from them, and now that is going to be taken away," he said.
"It is very frustrating. I have made it very clear to them if they do not make the parks available, I will be taking action."
Mr Forlong said it would be better than nothing, but it all seemed a bit ad hoc.
He questioned the safety for cyclists and whether the truck lane was wide enough.
"I’ve driven trucks and they are big and wide. I’m not sure the lane is going to be big enough for them."
They would also be cutting across cyclists when turning into the site which would be dangerous.
An NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) spokesman said the organisation was not concerned the temporary changes would impact any proposed changes as part of the broader State Highway 1 and SH88 plans.
In Cumberland St, the NZTA was planning on getting rid of carparks on both sides of the road and putting in a pedestrian crossing about halfway down the block. The spokesman was unable to provide comment on safety concerns.
A Dunedin City Council spokesman declined to comment, saying it was a matter for the NZTA and CPB.
