Unfortunately, not a post on the OK brilliant dance band and video “Here It Goes Again” but instead we launch back into commentary on the most tedious slow-motion screw-up that the Western World has ever known. No, not Donal Rump’s plans for global domination on the dance floor, but instead the re-emergence of the looooong-running saga over the Basin Reserve and the motorway from The Terrace to the Airport.
I didn’t think it could possibly get any worse, but I was wrong.
There will not be any true consultation, but instead some “open days” for explaining how/why theNZTA Traffic Engineers have messed it all up for yet another decade. I think it shows the very good reason why nothing should ever be designed solely by Traffic Engineers – this is yet another abortion of a design.
At least last time we had the full gamut of 57 paid-for “independent consultants” sucking on the NZTA teat and producing some design, no matter how badly flawed it was (and boy oh boy, was it ever flawed!!!) but here we just have roads and more roads.
There should also be some logic in here as well, but if there is, I have not really found it yet. Just roads.
Its a little too much for me to cope with right now, so I am just posting some of the NZTA pix up here, especially round the Basin. That’s the same Basin which is easily solved without making a mess, although NZTA seem intent on making it a massive cluster of …. look, I dunno. How could they get this so wrong, AGAIN?
Somehow, while NZTA has had the last 10 years – 14 years? – 20 + years ?!! to get this right, they seem to have made some basic bloody errors that a four year old could solve, and have instead produced a design that is bound to rile up just about everyone in the community that it passes through. Just like last time.
Instead, of course, that this is NOT going to be like last time. Last time there was a Public Enquiry and members of the Public could voice their concerns, and ultimately the members of the Public showed that the NZTA Scheme was badly at fault and was not worth proceeding with. This time, no such luck.
The way that National have stacked the odds this time, the project will be on fast track and will happen whether we like it or not.
Appalling 20th century failed thinking by an ideological government intent on punishing us for having the temerity to vote in two Green MP’s. No Mandate, No Consultation for No Gain. $5 billion, Loss of Town Belt, Loss of Housing, Dubious ‘Project Benefits’ Increased flooding risk to shift a “bottleneck” to Kilbirnie..Crazy!
Hi Jimmy – yes, considerable loss of housing, not just up Paterson St, but also along Sussex St, and Wellington Road / Ruahine St, and possibly some other areas I have not noted yet?
The traffic/pedestrian/cyclist “conflicts” at the Northern end of the Basin Reserve are truly impressive,
I love how they appear to have designed a road layout that will mean SH1 westbound will basically grind to a halt at every morning and evening peak as cyclists/pedestrians cross the road to travel up and down Cambridge Terrace, – let alone whenever there is a cricket test on….
Agreed Greenwelly – but let’s see if we can suggest a better way to the NZTA people. I hate having to do this, as it is their job, but I’m happy to publish alternative proposals if they can be shown to work…
I so much almost always agree with you Nemo…Crumbs what kind of a city will we be??
Nicest thing you’ve ever said to me Helene… thank you !
That stuff round The Basin is complicated. That means it’s probably wrong. But hey – what do I know?
No, you’re right, it IS bad…
Over on Scoop Wellington there are some people asking: “to what Standards is this being designed to?”
It is a fair question, and one that I do not know the answer to, but my uneducated guess is: Designed to the AusRoads Motorway standard.
Have a look at that 3rd panel up from the bottom, a map with Moxham Ave coming in from the right hand side – is that not a curve for a 80kph curve, to be taken at speed, rather than something more like what we have at present, but which cannot be taken faster than about 30-50kph. Yes, it is an ugly awkward corner at present, but I bet no one dies there at present. But with that big sweeping swoop round the bend, fatal crashes are bound to risein a clash between people and cars…
Its certainly a faster sweeping curve,
For traffic heading into the city, the left lane, is impacted by cars coming from Wellington road, who will stop at an almost T junction, there is no merge for them and they will likely be traveling at very low speeds, … (despite there being huge “yellow” areas that could be used for a more sweeping curve …
however further toward the tunnel the new “netball” on ramp has a 100m distance to allow cars to “get up to speed”
And then they come out of the tunnel into the disaster that is the northern Basin reserve… with two sets of light controlled junctions, and a likely potentially long tail back of traffic wanting to turn right onto Cambridge Terrace ( but throttled by the Kent terrace traffic and the two pedestrian/cycle crossings at 90 degrees to each other….(it would be interesting to see what the daily traffic count through here is modelled at)