Call for further explanations over new bridge site

There is still a lot of water to flow under the metaphorical bridge.

Later this week the detailed proposal for Palmerston North’s new cycle and pedestrian bridge is expected to be revealed. It cannot happen soon enough. Publicity so far about the bridge proposal, its likely location near the end of Ruha St, and its design capturing the essence of a karaka tree, has provoked a great deal of community chatter.

Not all of that has been wellinformed and up-to-date.

But that is what happens when people feel they do not have answers to questions that concern them. They make up their own.

One of the popular rumours is that the army wants the bridge to be built further downstream, closer to Linton camp, somewhere near the end of Maxwells Line.

People who are saying that ought to be aware that the New Zealand Army is a member of the janine.rankin@fairfaxmedia.co.nz

project steering group guiding He Ara Kotahi. As such, it is a party to the preference for the Ruha St location.

We are certainly not getting any public confirmation that the military are about to break ranks about the siting.

The latest official word from the army is: ‘‘We support any proposal that provides a safer travel option for cyclists and that creates a workable transport link between Palmerston North and Linton Military Camp’’.

Some of us are remembering, also, that the army has made submissions calling for an off-road pathway from the Fitzherbert Bridge to Linton at least three times when the city council has been considering its annual plan.

The champion was former camp commander Colonel Chris Parsons, promoting what was once called the Bridge to Base project.

At that stage the location of a bridge linking to the pathway was only lightly touched upon, with Dittmer Drive seen as having advantages for the Massey University link, while something further downstream would provide city cyclists with better access to the Kahuterawa recreational area.

But Parsons’ priorities were clear — to get cyclists off the state highway, and provide a safe, offroad option that would appeal to families as well as staff. In fact, he said a dedicated foot and cycle bridge had potential to make the link better, but was not essential.

But still, there is a strong community of interest in West End in favour of moving the bridge site as far downstream as possible, to the extreme end of the city’s urban area.

A delightful image has been revived from years ago, of soldiers enjoying a night out in Palmerston North, catching taxis to the bottom of Maxwells Line, then stumbling off across the bridge back to base.

It is hard to imagine that is a compelling justification for spending ratepayer or taxpayer money, or a welcome development for the residents of Maxwells Line.

We have talked to some competent cyclists who do not actually think there is much wrong with the State Highway route to Linton. But the pathway is not likely to be for them.

It is most likely to appeal to people who are less confident or hardly cycle at all, but might do given a safer option.

In that case the views of cycle advocacy group Cycle Aware are important.

Spokesman Matthew Mckenzie said the critical thing was not so much where the bridge was, as how safe cyclists felt on the routes approaching it. And that is one of the critical things that will determine how successful the bridge project turns out.

It depends on predicting the behaviour of people who take up an option that they do not currently have.

The crystal-ball gazers in the Dittmer Drive area imagine people will drive to the bridge, park all day in neighbourhood streets, and cycle of walk across it.

The steering group is having trouble accepting that is likely, and has preferred to depend on results of an online survey that showed the further downstream the bridge was built, the less people would use it.

In all instances, evidence and well-informed predictions would be better than guesswork. The bridge report will be released in an agenda for council meetings on Monday when several deputations and people wanting to make public comment will have 10 minutes or three minutes to have their say.

There is still a lot of water to flow under the metaphorical bridge. Applications for resource consents are bound to go through the robust process commissioners’ public hearing. There are no time restrictions. They will allow interested parties time to put their case. End note: Among Palmerston North’s extraordinary range of talents is the sound of Scotland, the Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band. The players are soon off to Glasgow to compete in the world championships.

Anyone who has been to the Victoria Esplanade on a summer weekend has probably heard them practising, outdoors, where bagpipes should be.

When the weather is not so great, they practise indoors. One might wonder how they tolerate it. The answer is, they wear earplugs.