And the NZ Transport Agency has promised the public will be given the chance to have its say.
It was announced early this year the city's busy state highway, which carries 31,000 vehicles a day, could be cut to one two-way road running through the city, to incorporate the new $1.4billion Dunedin Hospital.
The hospital will be built between the Cumberland and Castle Sts one-ways systems.
The change, the preferred option in a report released by the Ministry of Health, included reducing traffic in Cumberland St, making Castle St the main north-south arterial route and slowing traffic in St Andrew St.
The ministry report noted the one-way streets on either side of the hospital sites were significant constraints to the sites, and a barrier to access.
The agency said at the time some traffic might be rerouted through Strathallan, Thomas Burns and Frederick Sts.
Traffic problems have been a hot topic in Dunedin in the past few years, particularly the cycleway build on the highway.
But agency regional relationships director Jim Harland said yesterday consultation would allow the public its voice, as well as stakeholders.
Meetings were held late last year on the issue of the one-ways that included the University of Otago, Otago Regional Council, Port Otago and the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Harland said consultants were about to be appointed for the project.
They would do a detailed analysis of the issues the area faced, do traffic modelling and develop a list of options for the network.
The consultants needed to come up with best long-term plan for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, improve safety for all and improve the city's livability.
There was a problem with the system in that it was not always clear what the best routes through the city were for the likes of trucks or cyclists.
Consultation could start late this year, but it was more likely to begin early next year.
The feedback would be considered, and recommendations would go to the agency, Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council mid-next year.
A business case would be developed for government funding for the work.
Mr Harland said he expected, because the work was being developed to fit in with the new Dunedin Hospital build, it would be favourably considered.
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Comments
Awesome, another chance for Dunedin residents to be heard, then resoundingly ignored as usual
This is the NZTA, not the DCC. NZTA listened to us when we said the overbridge at Lookout Point should not be called the Riselaw Road bridge like NZTA suggested, but the Lookout Point bridge.
If the objective is to force traffic to a standstill, this plan is a guaranteed success.
Before the inevitable whining about the Council starts up; note that this is on State Highway 1, which the Council has nothing to do with; the New Zealand Transport Agency is the authority for State Highways. Note the paragraph about the DCC, ORC and others being notified when recommendations are made.
Rubbish. The council has a fixed policy to remove as much vehicle traffic as they can. NZTA are working with DCC on a near daily basis to plan future roading requirements, including the current mish mash of cycle paths. Does anyone seriously believe DCC haven't already been "sounded" to get their feedback of the overall idea? If DCC resisted this plan it would be changed.
Hopefully a sensible council can be elected before this bottleneck is created.
It really is a shame that the sensible progressive thinking that built the one way system 50 years ago is lost in the cloud of self interest by health department seat warmers and bike mad fools.
If the state highway needs to be moved then actually move it. Build a real road by passing Dunedin entirely. For example, connect from Fairfield to the Northern "motorway". Build proper connectors from Pt Chalmers and central Dunedin to that route. But of course this isn't happening, real roads are only being built around Auckland and Wellington.
Total total Rubbish, Is it just another token offer to say we gave you input? In any type of such an issue / concern If Dunedin had a real Mayor and not jelly fish one he would take the peoples concerns to the Government authority for any issue that is not in the DCC's control and was a concern to the Dunedin people because they have to live with it. AND it would be done publicly on the news so the people of Dunedin know the Mayor has there backs and will not stand for a tick and flick pay the contractors for a BS sub standard design and implementation. NZTA is the authority for Crossings- the DCC created the 3D Crossings at $120,000 to the rate payers and if your read the NZTA road guide it does not conform to the NZTA standards but they allowed it to go ahead. Another is the Lime Scooters. Why is the DCC and other Councils trying to manage these this IMHO the authority is the NZTA and NZ police to set the guidance / rules/ laws for all of NZ to follow, with councils raising any suggested changes to be implemented.
What ever happens.....it will be a balls up.
Dunedin negative nellies are going to (and clearly have, going by comments on here already) absolutely love this change! :D
As with others, I don't believe for a moment that consultation will result in any of the public's views being taken on board and respected. I cannot believe that anyone could contemplate that dismantling the one-way systems is going to result in anything other than traffic chaos and gridlock. And, why, oh why have Barnes dances been put on both the one-way systems at the Albany St intersections? If the NZTA and DCC had any clue about traffic flow and how to manage a state highway system they wouldn't have done that. Also, there's a crossing just a few metres away at the museum on the one-way system that brings traffic to a standstill at a set of lights - which is then repeated not 10 metres away at the new Barnes dance crossing. Clueless! If this is the standard of decision-making about our roads in the CBD then we're in for an ongoing disaster. And after doing all that expensive cycleway work - it's now going to be ripped up. Scandalous waste of money and yet another example of absolutely no common sense. I have no faith in the process to come and I certainly am not alone in that.
The lunatics have taken over the asylum,utter stupidity in it's highest order.
We got rid of Harland from the DCC but he still manages to pop up with NZTA to stuff things up. Nothing changes.