Tree proposal for Bay entrances

Mount and Papamoa residents could be greeted by tree-lined entrances to their suburbs if proposals by Tauranga City Councillor Steve Morris gets the go ahead.

Cr Morris is advocating for both Maunganui Rd at the Mount and Domain Rd in Papamoa to have their painted median strips replaced with a grassed median including trees such as on Cameron Rd in Tauranga.

"The most cost-effective time to upgrade the look and feel of our suburbs is during planned road works and upgrades" said Cr Morris.

Traffic modelling is currently underway to determine whether Domain Road remains a two-lane road or becomes four-lanes as currently budgeted.

"Either way Domain Rd needs to be reformed and widened whether it has two lanes or four."

Cr Morris said the relatively low cost of upgrading the Maunganui and Domain Rd medians will come as a surprise to residents because of the reduced area of tar-seal required and heavy duty base-course that sits under a road. The upgrades will also attract NZTA subsidies for safety improvements.

"For low cost we can have an attractive entrance to New Zealand's premier beachside holiday destinations and create a streetscape that is worthy of the pride our residents take in their own homes and gardens. But we need to plan for it now before the upgrades in Papamoa take place in the short term and the road works in the medium term at the Mount. Otherwise the opportunity to do it cost-effectively is lost for another twenty years."

Cr Morris is calling on those who support the concept to submit in support of it to Council's 2016/17 annual budget which closes for consultation today at 5pm.