The Waimāero Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board held a workshop to come up with an updated design for the changes along Glandovey and Idris Rds.
Board chair Jason Middlemiss said the workshop had been productive and Christchurch City Council staff had listened to residents' concerns regarding the cycleways and the inclusion of more trees.
“The decision is practical and a really good option. The result we have landed is close to the best option.
“The loss of on-street parking and the practicality trade-off for local residents was not there and the cycleways were not going anywhere, they were not part of a larger network.”
Middlemiss said the community board had let the decision on transport improvements sit on the table after mixed feedback from submissions at the August 12 meeting for the original scheme design.
Initially, cycle lanes were to run along both sides of the roads and five new pedestrian refuges – three on Glandovey Rd and two on Idris Rd – would be created.
The pedestrian refuges would serve to “disincentivise” large vehicles using the roads, Middlemiss said.
Forty-nine submitters had expressed negative views on the proposal to remove the on-street parking.
Middlemiss said an option to look at was doing the improvements in stages with $850,000 available for the budget of $1.1 million from the city council transport budget.
“There is an option of Glandovey as stage one and Idris as stage two and defer that till we have money in the next annual plan.”
Included in the updated plan was for six to nine trees to be planted as part of beautifying the area.
Middlemiss said it was difficult to get trees in, but community feedback was for more trees as part of the design.
He estimated the updated layout would be available to the community board in eight to 12 weeks.
“Have a plan by June/July, hopefully we get it back before the end of our term so we can get it over the line – we do not want it drag out till Christmas.
“There is a want to progress.”
