Back in August 2022, Nelson City Council was awarded funding from Waka Kotahi for a Streets for People Project in the Nelson South area.
The project covers: Tipahi Street (by the hospital and Broads playing fields), Franklyn Street towards Waimea Road, Kawai Street and Hampden Street West.
The Streets for People project focuses on making it safer and easier for people to use active modes of transport by connecting safe streets in an area. It also aims to improve the liveability of streets for residents. Some of the benefits include:
What will the main changes look like?
Motueka Street/Tipahi Street intersection
The junction of Motueka Street and Tipahi Street wasn’t originally in the scope of this project but we received a lot of feedback on how unsafe this junction is - especially with its high volume of fast moving traffic (over 7,000 car movements per day). We approached Waka Kotahi to see if the junction could be brought into this project and they agreed - so we have designed a plan that will enable all users to cross this road more safely. This then creates a better link from Tipahi Street to the Railway Reserve.
The main change will be the creation of a raised crossing that will be shared by pedestrians and cyclists. It will be a safer and more visible place to cross and will also help to slow down vehicles using Motueka Street.
Tipahi Street
The main challenge on Tipahi Street was retaining as much of the on street parking as possible, as it is necessary for hospital visitors and staff, while creating a safer and more attractive shared cycling and walking facility. Thanks to the support of Nelson College we have been able to design a 3.5m wide shared walking and cycling facility that uses a small amount of The Broads playing field. This has allowed us to retain the parking along that section of Tipahi Street. Seven parking spots did need to be removed at the Motueka Street end of the road but this was supported by the hospital as being a fair compromise.
A refined junction with raised crossings at the Tipahi Street/Franklyn Street intersection will create a safe place for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road, it will also help to manage vehicle speed.
Kawai Street
The main concern of residents along Kawai Street was the extreme speed and dangerous driving of a small number of vehicles. In some cases, vehicle speed was estimated to be in excess of 80km/hr. To help manage vehicle speed, and in turn, create a safer environment for walking and cycling, we will be adding two speed cushions and a raised table on Kawai Street - this will benefit active transport users and help to manage vehicle speed to create a nicer environment for residents.
The junction of Kawai Street and Franklyn Street will also see the creation of two raised crossings to make it easier and safer to cross the street from all directions.
Franklyn Street
An additional change to Franklyn Street involves the creation of a dedicated cycleway on the northern side of the road (going up the hill where cyclists are moving slower compared to motor vehicles). This requires the removal of on-street parking between Tipahi Street and Kawai Street, and will provide a safe space for students and other cyclists using this area.
Hampden Street
Based on user data and feedback from residents we will be creating a small roundabout at the junction of Kawhai and Hampden Street to help with congestion and traffic movement during peak times.
Since the project launched we’ve been meeting with, and listening to, as many residents and street users as possible. We’ve had several meetings with residents, the hospital, local students and cycling and walking groups. We’ve also had over 50 submissions on our online feedback tool, Shape Nelson to go with the hundreds of conversations we’ve had.
All of this valuable information and feedback has helped our team of transport experts come up with a plan that we believe will enable the project to meet its goals.
Construction will begin in early 2024. When the contractor is ready to start they will contact every house on the route and let you know the timeframe. They will look to minimise disruption and inconvenience where possible.
Yes, some on street parking will be removed so that we can create the improved facilities (such as where the raised tables are being constructed) but we have done our best to retain as much on street parking as possible along the entire project route.
While most residents we spoke to had ample off street parking for their needs we appreciate that the streets surrounding the hospital are used by hospital visitors and staff to park their cars. We have worked closely with the hospital team to create a plan that works for them and we have its approval on the trial plan that we are rolling out.
We will monitor parking throughout the trial period. It is our hope that the improved walking and cycling facilities mean more hospital staff choose to walk or ride to work, reducing the need for car parking. Staff interest in changing how they travel to work was highlighted in a staff survey the hospital conducted on our behalf.
Once the construction of the street treatments is complete we will be asking you for feedback. The trial will run for approximately 18 months before we look to make the changes permanent. In that time we are very open to suggestions for improvements to ensure the very best outcome for all users and residents. The plan is to hold at least one ‘on street’ drop in session and have meetings with all of our key stakeholders over this period.
We are creating a set of information boards that we will place along the project route that highlights where each change will be and what we are doing.
You can view the design plans in more detail on this Shape page, and leave any feedback you have.
In September 2022, E Tū Whakatū - Nelson's Active Travel Strategy 2022 - 2032 was adopted by Council.
This Strategy focused on providing the framework and guidance to change how we travel. It aimed to deliver a programme of investment in walking and cycling over the next 10-15 years, changing how we travel so it is more sustainable, reducing carbon emissions and private car use.
The plan has been developed for all age groups and abilities to promote the broader well-being of all our community.
The Streets for People project links directly to this strategy, as well as our Long Term Plan 2012-2031, and our Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP).
The Streets for People project will tie into the next Waka Kotahi funding project - Transport Choices.
Public Information: All feedback (including your name and contact details) will be provided to Council officers for administration and analysing feedback, and to those who are involved in any decision-making for this project.
All feedback, including submitters names (unless you request otherwise), but not contact details, may be publicly available online. Note: Council is subject to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 and a request for official information may cover your feedback, including your address and other contact details.
