What a difference. After many months of roadworks and diversions, the finished product is looking very good, and travelling along that road is a pleasure rather than a pain.
The road has always been busy and it still is, but it is saferand easier to navigate now that all work has been completed and the lane markings put down.
The $1.9 million upgrade of the cycle and pedestrian path along the southern side of Havelock Road was part of the Hastings District Council's long-term plan and evolved out of a corridor management plan produced in 2010.
The New Zealand Transport Agency funded 61 per cent of the cost of the work, with the rest coming from the Hastings District Council. And what a good job it is, as well. What I like is that there is also uniformity with a lot of the fences of the houses on that route the same.
The thing that has puzzled some people is why there is such a big median strip down the centre of the road. In our story in yesterday's paper and on our website, hbtoday.co.nz, Hastings Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers explains it is future-proofing, because, at some stage, it could be used for public transport. Years ago, apparently, plans were sketched that included a tram.
I think that is a very good idea and could make getting from Hastings to Havelock North village and vice versa easier for tourists and school children.
In the meantime, as Ms Bowers says, it could be used as an extra lane either way if there are heavy traffic flows. This would make a lot of sense.
