Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said yesterday there had been calls to pedestrianise George St as part of the central city plan, and the council had listened.
"We will definitely be heading in that direction."
Responding to questions about tension between cars and cyclists, Mr Cull said cycle lanes being built on the one-way system by the NZ Transport Agency were not the end of a move to promote cycling. The city "definitely" would see more changes.
Dunedin’s $60 million central city upgrade was approved by the council in May.
Construction was due in about a year, after detailed design work, public consultation and further council input.
The project will include roading, footpath and streetscape improvements and more pedestrianisation, to address public concerns about the central city’s shabby appearance.
Mr Cull said yesterday motor vehicles would have "a lower priority than they have at the moment" on the main street.
What that meant was not yet finalised, but there had been calls for pedestrianisation of George St, from total pedestrianisation to having shared spaces to closures at certain times of the day.
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Yeah...Great idea again Dave....Nothing I like better than walking hundreds of metres to my car with arms full of purchases bought in the 'main street' of Dunedin!
In no way would this encourage me to stop shopping in the city centre and buy online instead....I enjoy long walks in the cold and rain, watching lone cyclists whizz by me every 10 minutes.
So keep up with those great ideas Dave....Maybe next, you could eliminate all parking meters in Dunedin and have bike stands everywhere instead?!
Agree 100% well said. Is he fit for his position?
No
So the only way you shop in George St is if you can park outside the shop? You must spend ages driving up and down till a park opens up in front of the shops you want to visit.
Oh you poor dear. I wonder how you cope even now with the limited number of car parks on George Street? Or do you have to walk hundreds of metres will arms full of purchases to a parking building? Man, life is tough for some people.
So, first cycleways are built on the one way system, reducing traffic flow and increasing obstacles (risks). Then cars will be restricted from George St.
Just trying to picture how traffic will get across the city not to mention the heavy vehicles heading north or south.
And then there is the new hospital that will sit between the one way streets.
It’s going to be interesting, to say the least.
Heavy vehicle SH conduit is the responsibility of NZTA, not municipal authorities.
As somebody who frequently walks along George St, and never drives on it, all I can say is that it's perfectly fine as it is. Yes, there's the occasional idiot who turns left across the pedestrian right-of-way, but that just keeps one alert.
I suspect "pedestrianise" actually means "cycle-ise", which will make things more dangerous for pedestrians, not less.
Sorry Corker, is that what you'd really say to a pedestrian after they were hit by a driver turning in the crossing? : "You should have been more alert!"
Evidence from 'cycle-ised' cities shows that cycle lanes make it safer for pedestrians.
Why do you think it would be otherwise?
The pedestrianising of streets will kill off most retail in those areas and if Dunedin is not careful the developers will see the opportunity to build lots of suburban shopping malls with free parking which would most likely be covered and be very close to the shopping. The retailers will leave the CBD and head for these malls in droves leaving a dead city centre with lots of empty shops. The public love these shopping centres because of the convenience and the free parking. Tauranga and Hamilton CBD's are perfect examples of the damage councils can do to what were once thriving and profitable city centres. Council staff regularly attend conferences and listen the the same dribble country wide and to prove they didn't waste our time will impose what they have learnt on the ratepayer without thinking through the possible damage that these ideals could do to the likes of the Dunedin CBD.
I wonder what will happen if (when?) it gets too expensive for most of us to drive.
Great plan to put pedestrians first in the city centre. It works all over the world.
It's all very well discouraging cars from the main street - if the one-way systems were still set up to promote and enhance traffic flow. But they certainly aren't any more, with more and more impediments going in - what with cycle lanes (for which cars are delayed in turning now to give way for), more sets of lights going in, and the light phasing out of sync. You can't screw up a one-way state-highway system and then do the same to the main street and expect the CBD traffic flow to work. It's madness. And given that Dunedin isn't flat, there's a limit to how many more people will use cycles. This is a pipe dream not backed up by reality. Just look at the empty cycle lanes now. And just wait until the new hospital is built. The pressure on the one-way systems (and parking) will increase even more, while the main street will by then be a complete disaster for traffic. Who is responsible for not thinking any of this through?