There seems to be a bit of a flurry of proposals currently out for consultation by the City Council right now, with a few of them due in the next week or so. So it’s worth letting you know about them:
{apologies in advance if you don’t hear about the first one via our weekly newsletter until after the closing date…}
- First cab off the rank is the various proposed changes to speed limits around Banks Peninsula, closing this Fri 25th Feb. The big ones are the proposals to introduce 40km/h speed limits right through Lyttelton and Akaroa townships, as well as a few other peninsula settlements. In addition, a number of the existing winding 100km/h rural roads will be reduced to 60km/h limits, far more conducive to their speed environment.
- For mountain-biking fans, a new track is being proposed on Montgomery Spur (off Rapaki Track), and Council would like to know what you think. The proposed intermediate-level two-way track would add an extra connection from the spur back down to Rapaki Track; consultation closes on Fri 5th Mar.
- Another Major Cycle Route is being proposed, this time the Wheels to Wings route from Papanui to the airport via Bishopdale and Harewood. Unfortunately there has been a bit of “controversy” stirred up by local politicians and fanned by the media, so this one is certainly worth putting your 2 cents worth in. Submissions on this one close on Mon 15th Mar (NB: extended from earlier closing date); I’ll do a more detailed separate post about this later.
- An interesting exercise is underway to seek feedback across the city for a series of safer suburban roads initiatives. Previously mentioned before, this will see some $30 million of Govt earthquake rebuild funding targeted at improving some of the worst affected streets in five areas around Christchurch. Suggestions could be to do with walking and cycling, parking issues, road/path surface conditions, streetscape improvements, or speed/safety issues. You can use a pretty neat interactive map to submit your feedback if you wish; you have until Mon 15th Mar to get your feedback in and then Council will review and prioritise their work programme.
- Another great safety proposal is the planned changes to speed limits in the Beckenham Loop area. The proposal will see all streets south of Tennyson St to the Heathcote River changed to a 40km/h speed limit. You have until Mon 22nd Mar to get your feedback in for this one.
- Finally a bit of a different kind of consultation is the one proposed for the “Innovating Streets” cycleway trial along Ferry Road heading into town. Using a series of “tactical urbanism” treatments (including separators, planter boxes, seating, and paint markings), the project will provide an interim protected cycleway link between the Heathcote Express cycleway at Fitzgerald Ave and the cycleway along St Asaph St, together with a 30km/h speed limit. Unlike the other projects, this one is already under construction! You will have almost a whole year to have a look at it, try it out, and to provide feedback (again via an interactive online map). So keep an eye out for the finished product and then you have until the end of Jan 2022 to provide your feedback to Council (we will try to jog your memory later on…).
Phew! OK, that’s quite a few different initiatives going on right now that could all provide some benefits to people cycling (and walking) around greater Christchurch. As is often the case, Council is likely to hear from the grumblers who are not happy about the proposals. So if you would like to see these initiatives happen, don’t just assume they will – get your submission of support in as well. The websites are all pretty straightforward to write a few words of feedback, ad I’m looking forward to having a play with the new interactive maps too.
What do you think of the proposed projects?