Possible changes to one-way system to be revealed

Dunedin's busy state highway system, which carries more than 30,000 vehicles a day, could be cut to one two-way road running through the city, and Cumberland St turned into a calmer council-governed street. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN/IMAGE: SUPPLIED
Dunedin's busy state highway system, which carries more than 30,000 vehicles a day, could be cut to one two-way road running through the city, and Cumberland St turned into a calmer council-governed street. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN/IMAGE: SUPPLIED
Details of what are bound to be contentious changes to the state highways that run through central Dunedin are expected to be revealed on Monday.

It was announced last year the city’s highway could be cut to one two-way road running through the city via Castle St, to incorporate the new Dunedin Hospital.

The Otago Daily Times understands plans remain similar to those suggested then.

Options have been under discussion with various agencies and interested parties for two years, and were initially expected to be consulted on publicly late last year.

The preferred option outlined in a report released by the Ministry of Health last year included a suggestion Cumberland St, now one-way northbound, be turned into a local road run by the city council with reduced traffic, and Castle St, one-way southbound, become a two-way state highway, the main north-south arterial route.

The hospital will be built between the Cumberland and Castle Sts one-way systems.

A transport project group working on how to accommodate the new hospital has considered the city’s wider transport system, and it is likely plans will include changes to other streets beyond the one-ways.

The Otago Daily Times understands the public will be consulted from Monday on two options — the continuation of the existing one-way streets, or Cumberland and Castle Sts becoming two-way roads.

Comments

View all

This is going to be fun.

I can’t handle Dunedin and the crazy decisions that are being imposed on the town any more - I’m now planning to leave. It’s no longer my hometown but a joketown.

Where are you going to go? Wellington? Auckland? - Where all the same sorts of issues are constantly debated?

Why don't they use the Octagon as a round about, get rid of those damn spots and make George Street SH1 ... retailers are just going to have to teach their staff how to wrap parcels quicker because of the new 110k speed limit.

I should actually be "consulting" for the DCC on this subject ... it's just so simple to to fill my back pocket, never get sacked or have to pay them back, or have to pay for the remedial work that required to fix my mistakes ...

It's no more difficult to come up with a new roading plan than it was to get $50k out of them to tell them what colour spots, their size and where to place them ... hate to say it, but my parents were definitely wrong when they told me my 9 years of study to get my B of ARTS wouldn't get me a decent job ...

No third option? Just two very bad ideas. The current layout is under stress. Remove the cycle lanes on SH1 add a third lane and all parking to help traffic going through Dunedin. There are a few sites in dunedin where we could have multi story carparks.

This idea should have longer legs. Makes a lot of sense.

I don't care what they propose, I'm not going to like it unless it's the same as we have now as I can't handle change of any kind no matter what......now, I've put my fingers in my ears and am shouting nerrr nerr ner ner nerrr nerrrrrrrrrr.....

For gods sake, would someone please get the greens out of the DCC planning department.
So here is the thinking process:
We have a road that handles 30,000 vehicles a day. How can we best disrupt that traffic and force as much as possible onto side roads. I know, lets halve the traffic lanes and make then much narrower. Then make the road 30kph.
That should make the road unusable for most and suitably dangerous for those foolish enough to try.
Great plan, well done DCC planners. You really are excelling in making absurd decisions and plans.

How about a total SH1 bypass of Dunedin? Decades old plan has a tunnel from Burnside coming up around Balmacewen School and through Ross Creek area and up around Glenleith.

City bypasses are so 1980's. You will have to wait another 20 years before we get there!

Someone please urgently consult this council on the difference between correlation and causation.
If successful cities tend to have traffic problems it doesn't mean that willfully created traffic problems going to make the city successful.

So we can now expect massive vehicle congestion ALL DAY LONG!...
The current 2 one way systems already struggle with the traffic loads. It can take up to 15 minutes to get from one end of town to the other.

Why not use the current north bound one way system, as a TWO lane north and TWO lane south, bound road? All the council would have to do is remove the cycle lanes....... Oh, now I see the problem, this council simply couldn't do that, could they!
The very idea of cyclists using the usually deserted pedestrian footpath as a shared space, seems like an idea from outer space, to this council!

Bang on that would sort the problems the idiots have created, from Cull to Hawkins and the common idiots in there pockets - they have had a hand in this. the other common thing is they have zero accountability.

Have the State Highway bypass Dunedin altogether, why keep inflicting your stupidity on other passing through. Shortly you will have a new Hospital back on the Highway BUT on both sides, it's as if you couldnt find another site around the foreshore or the former Bus Terminal in Princess St, or anywhere in fact. Now you will slow everything down outside a major Hospital in the busiest part of town.

Dunedin: New Zealands answer to every stupid question

View all

 

Advertisement