Dominion Road to Stay 'As Is'
Auckland City Council - City Scene
Dominion Road to Stay 'As Is'
Chairperson of the council's Transport and Roading Committee, Catherine Harland, says the decision to remove a road-widening designation confirms Dominion Road's future as a public transport route, rather than a multi-laned thoroughfare for cars.
"By giving up our claims to land on either side of Dominion Road, we are signalling that we want to provide for high quality alternatives to the single occupant car and protect the area's special character."
Auckand City is also removing the widening designations on Manukau and Sandringham Roads.
The proposed Isthmus District Plan designated a strip 2.15 metres wide on each side of Dominion Road for future widening. When the Plan was notified in 1993, the Council received about 1200 submissions opposing the designation and asking for Dominion Road's status in the Plan as a Strategic Route to be removed.
Removal of the designations settles those outstanding objections to the proposed Plan and removes one of the few remaining obstacles towards making the Plan operative.
Councillor Harland says the move does not preclude the possibility of light rail on Dominion Road in the future.
"At some future point Council may consider re-imposing new less extensive designations for passenger transport. If this proceeds Council will seek to maintain its strategy of avoiding road widening through shopping centres."
The Council will also consider removing Dominion
Road's status as a strategic road.