Is Marine Parade's calming project working? Businesses say yes

Lucy Kingi, the owner of Six Sisters Coffee House in Marine Parade, says the changes have meant more customers. Photo / Duncan Brown

Napier's "calming project" along Marine Parade has received mixed reviews, with businesses on the street seeing increased business but pedestrians struggling to cross the road.

The council is to receive a progress update about the project, which drastically changed the layout of Marine Parade, at their Strategy and Infrastructure Meeting today. The Marine Parade Traffic Calming project changed the road layout, moving traffic to the seaward side of the median strip, using the city side as a new parking precinct.

A 40km/h courtesy zone was also introduced.

The aim was to reduce speeds in the area, and reduce the amount of heavy traffic using the road as a route to the port.

Almost a year on the average speed in the area had remained at 46km/h and there had been no reduction in the number of trucks using the road.

However, the Napier City Council's Director City Strategy, Richard Munneke, said the new parking precinct had been well received.

"The parking precinct has been positively received as it slows vehicles travelling close to the properties on the western side of the street."

There were some concerns about pedestrian safety when crossing the road, which the council was looking into.

"There have been calls to increase safe opportunities to cross the road," he said.

The owner of Six Sisters Coffee House, Lucy Kingi, agreed that pedestrian crossings were an issue, with people only looking one way before crossing the road.

"People still think it's one lane," Kingi said.

She said the council could make it more obvious for people that they needed to check both ways before crossing that street.

However, overall she was happy with the changes, as increased parking had meant increased business for the cafe.

The manager of the Napier iSite and Par2 MiniGolf, Jane Libby, said overall the changes had been good for the area.

"Motorists are getting used to the new road layout and traffic seems to flow well," she said.

She said longer carparks outside Par2 gave campervans a place to park while visiting the iSite.

Munneke said the council is making tweaks to the design, and once these were finished they would be shown to a focus group of people who use Marine Parade.

"This will help us evaluate what is working and what needs further consideration."

The council will hear an update on the project at the next Strategy and Infrastructure Committee meeting.