The trial area over about 200m in lower Thames St will be set up from today.
The current two-lane roadway will be cut to one lane between Itchen St and Taste Cafe.
A plywood footpath extension, planter boxes, seating, and play elements will be installed tonight
The $60,000 trial, using Better Off funding put up by the last government, was put before an extraordinary meeting yesterday.
It is based on the concept of the Oamaru CBD master plan, approved by the council in September.
Mayor Gary Kircher noted the concept to pedestrianise part of Thames St was not new.
"It’s been around for a few years."
But the current community driven concept was something that "needed to be decided on urgently" yesterday, with plans by council staff already in motion for the start today.
District council placemaking lead Cyndi Christensen said s
taff had been working with businesses and the community over several months.
Evaluation would be over the six weeks including the traffic, pedestrian and business effects
— APL
