Council roading manager Mike Harrison said the ‘‘Roll out Barrels’’ trial would start tomorrow as a means of encouraging safe behaviour and visitors to stay in the area longer.
In conjunction with the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust, the traffic calming trial was established because of concerns over pedestrian safety.
People had been seen driving in the wrong direction in the one-way street, parking on both sides of the street, and vehicles being driven at high speeds.
Rather than using modern orange signs and cones, barrels would be used on the the Victorian Precinct street to make people ‘‘choose to alter their behaviour’’, Mr Harrison said.
In lots of three, barrels would be placed along the street to reduce speed by narrowing the space and deter people from parking in certain spaces.
Trust chairman Graeme Clark said the use of barrels would help keep the street safe without diminishing its historic character.
In the future, parking limits could be signposted on the barrels, a large sign put up to direct people to the free parking beside Scotts Brewing Co, and a reduced speed limit could be introduced, he said.
Mr Clark saw the trial as a ‘‘step towards pedestrianisation’’ of the street.
In 2017, the council introduced seasonal weekend closing of Harbour St.
Trust heritage restoration and repairs officer John Baster said opinions were polarised around whether the street should be closed to traffic.
The problems were complex, as some businesses relied on vehicles for deliveries, but the trial was flexible.
