Streets ahead: Input wanted for innovating streets in Waverley and Eltham

Ideas for slowing traffic and increasing safety are being sought from Waverley and Eltham residents. Photo / Supplied

Waverley and Eltham have been allocated funding from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's Innovative Streets Fund to improve local streets.

South Taranaki District Council wants to hear residents' ideas on how to create safer crossing points, slow down traffic and make the towns more welcoming and vibrant.

Community development manager Claire Symes said the projects' aim is to address issues related to speed, safety and vibrancy, which were identified in the Eltham and Waverley Town Masterplans developed last year, by testing potential street treatments and comparing which are the most effective.

Both projects will be co-designed in partnership with local communities and businesses.

There will be displays in the towns' LibraryPlus centres from August 31 to September 11 and residents can give their ideas there, email them to cdunit@stdc.govt.nz or phone 0800 111 323.

Feedback forms will be available on the council website www.southtaranaki.com. Council staff will also be at the LibraryPlus centres in both towns on Wednesday, September 2, and Thursday, September 3, from 9am to 3pm to talk about the project and will be visiting businesses in the towns, Symes said.

"The residents' ideas will then be collated into a plan by urban architects Bluemarble, who will work closely with the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency safety engineers," Symes said.

Draft plans will be drawn up and presented back to the community in October before being finalised in November.

The street treatments will be installed in February to March 2021 and monitored to see how they are working so adjustments can be made if required.

The project is 90 per cent funded by the Waka Kotahi Innovating Streets pilot fund with the South Taranaki District Council funding the remaining 10 per cent.