Consultation opens for three Central City transport projects

Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) are inviting feedback on three further transport projects needed to support key Anchor Projects in the Central City.

The concept designs for consultation focus on three groups of streets within the Central City:

• Hospital Corner Stage 2 (final layout) – including sections of Hagley Avenue, St Asaph Street, Tuam Street, Antigua Street and Montreal Street.

• Durham Street / Cambridge Terrace – from Kilmore Street to Tuam Street.

• Manchester Street – from Kilmore Street to Lichfield Street.

Consultation opens on Tuesday 28 April 2015, and will close at 5pm on Tuesday 26 May 2015. Consultation material and information about how to make a response is available through the Council’s website: www.ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay

Jointly led by the Council and CERA, this is the third group of Central City transport projects the community are being consulted over to deliver An Accessible City – the transport chapter of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan. An Accessible City was prepared by CERA in partnership with the Christchurch City Council, Environment Canterbury and the NZ Transport Agency.

Councillor Phil Clearwater, Chair of the Council’s Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee, says, “The changes to these streets include proposals that prioritise cycle-, pedestrian- and bus-friendly environments, while helping traffic flow to key anchor projects and developments across the Central City.

“These are the things people said they wanted for the Central City through the Council-led 2011 ‘Share An Idea’ campaign.

“We have carefully considered the challenge of providing these new travel networks within the limited road space on most streets and have had to make some tough calls. Inevitably there are some trade-offs such as the loss of some on-street car parks and some existing street trees. However, overall we believe the proposed designs – all of which propose new, enhanced landscaping and street trees – best support the travel network for the new Central City – providing people and businesses with much improved travel choices, in high-quality, well landscaped public spaces.

Christchurch Central Development Unit acting Director Baden Ewart says the consultation process will allow residents to continue to have a say and influence the Central City’s travel network and public spaces.

“We are keen to hear what people have to say about the projects, which plan to restore the quality of our streets and be a more user-friendly transport network so motorists, cyclists and pedestrians can all travel through the city safely together,” he says.

Key proposed changes for Hospital Corner Stage 2 (final layout):

The Hospital Corner project is the second and final implementation stage of the west to east one-way road layout conversion of Tuam Street, from Hagley Avenue by Christchurch Hospital to just east of Durham Street South.

The proposed works include final implementation of the complementary one-way westbound St Asaph Street route through to Hagley Avenue and will widen Tuam Street between Hagley Avenue and Antigua Street to allow for the installation of bus-only lanes and a new bus super stop on either side of Tuam Street near the Hospital.

A shared pedestrian and cycle path and new crossing facilities will be provided on St Asaph Street to the northern frontage of the proposed Metro Sports Facility. These facilities will link the Hagley Avenue crossing to the new Hagley Park shared pathway facility. Cycle and pedestrian facilities on Antigua Street will link to a new separated cycle lane on Tuam Street to the east and Ōtākaro / Avon River to the north. These facilities will meet with the re-opened Antigua Street cycle and pedestrian bridge.

Key proposed changes for Durham Street / Cambridge Terrace:

The Durham Street / Cambridge Terrace project enhances the streetscape of the primarily one-way main distributor road between Kilmore Street and Tuam Street. A new two-way section between Tuam Street and Lichfield Street is proposed to access the Retail Precinct car parks in Lichfield Street and to help serve Oxford Terrace.

The project introduces a slow-speed environment adjacent to the Park of Remembrance, the Justice and Emergency Services Precinct and the historic Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings. Design proposals have paid particular attention to ensuring sympathetic visual and physical links to these significant places.

A new two-way, four-metre wide shared path adjacent to the Ōtākaro / Avon River will connect with the cycle lanes and shared facilities at Antigua Street, Tuam Street and around the west side of the Ōtākaro / Avon River.

Key proposed changes for Manchester Street:

Manchester Street will become the main north-south public transport ‘spine’ for the Central City bus network between the new Bus Interchange on Lichfield Street and Kilmore Street, with key bus routes joining at Hereford and Gloucester streets.

The proposal includes a staggered high-quality bus super stop on Manchester Street either side of Worcester Street that will have real time information and safe, comfortable waiting areas.

This project seeks to establish Manchester Street as a widened tree-lined boulevard adjacent to the East Frame, with priority for buses and high quality public spaces.

A wide shared path is proposed for local pedestrian and cycle movements on the eastern side of the corridor. On-road cycle separated lanes between Kilmore Street and Cambridge Terrace will connect with Te Papa Ōtākaro / Avon River Precinct shared path.

Feedback on these three transport projects can be made a number of ways:

• Through the Council’s website: www.ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay
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• By email: AACtransportprojects@ccc.govt.nz
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(Please make sure your full name and address is included with your response)

• In writing to:

Freepost 178 (no stamp required)

AAC Transport Projects

Christchurch City Council

PO Box 73011

Christchurch 8154

The Council and CERA will be holding the following presentations and drop-in sessions for people to speak to staff and make a response:

Further information about these three transport projects and the consultation process is available online atwww.ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay and www.ccc.govt.nz/AACtransportprojects

General information about the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan and An Accessible City can be found atwww.ccdu.govt.nz/the-plan

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