Twothirds prefer current oneway
TWOTHIRDS of responses so far to a survey on changes to Dunedin’s central city oneway system want it to remain as it is.
A multiagency group, including the NZ Transport Agency, and Dunedin City and Otago Regional Councils, is consulting on whether to overhaul the way traffic moves through the central city, as preparations are made to build a new hospital.
Joint client lead, and city council transport strategy manager Nick Sargent said only about a third of the 290 responses so far were in favour of doing away with the oneway system and moving to a twoway system.
‘‘However, the gap appears to be closing as more people contribute [to the survey].’’
On June 15, the NZTA launched the online survey and released maps showing two options.
The options were keeping the two oneway state highways through the central city or turning the southbound Castle St oneway state highway into a 50kmh twoway highway and the Cumberland St oneway state highway into a twoway 30kmh local road with cycle lanes.
In both options it is proposed to develop an alternative harbourside arterial route along Thomas
Burns St.
Mr Sargent could not say how many cars the arterial route might remove from the city centre roads.
‘‘This will depend on a number of factors, including how many drivers change the way they get to town or across town each day, catch a bus instead of taking their car, or drive and then walk part of the way, or decide to bike or ebike, ’’ he said.
Mr Sargent said the project group had ‘‘a pretty good idea’’ which junctions would come under more strain if changes did cause congestion, but he could not yet provide specific details.
‘‘The initial traffic analysis is preliminary and will need further work to refine it.
‘‘We may be able to shortly release some general travel time information requested previously,’’ he said.
‘‘However, remember, we are at the idea exploration stage.’’
The group has released a preliminary update on survey responses. It closes on July 16.
The responses show the top three concerns for the future of city centre traffic were the availability of parking, establishing highfrequency citycentre buses, and a lack of detail on ‘‘how the proposed traffic flows on the alternative two singlelane roads . . . will cope with current and future anticipated traffic’’.
A decision on Dunedin’s streets would need to be made in early 2021 to help the hospital rebuild, Mr Sargent said.
‘‘Ultimately, the Waka Kotahi [NZ Transport Agency] board will decide what will happen to the state highway network and will also decide how to invest in the transport networks with its partner organisations,’’ he said.