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Rachael Kelly13:39, Jun 30 2021
Robyn Edie/Stuff
The Gore District Council’s Streets Alive road safety project has ended after a three-month trial. (File photo)
The Gore District Councils controversial ‘Streets Alive’ road safety project has come to an end after a three-month trial, and it says there have been some positive outcomes. Motorists were travelling at slower speeds around schools, there was better traffic flow at problem intersections, and temporary furniture in Irk Street had proved popular with the majority of businesses in the area. Roading asset manager Peter Standring said the temporary furniture was likely to stay short-term, while the council worked with businesses to develop a permanent solution, and roundabouts and intersection changes would remain in place until it was able to analyse feedback.
He could not say how many planters would be removed, but they would be gone before the end of the week, he said. The council has repeatedly asked for vandalism of the concrete troughs, which are being used as planters, to stop. The planters are part of a three-month trial of its Streets Alive project, which has changed some layouts for traffic around the town, by adding pocket parks, planters, roundabouts and courtesy crossings. The $1 million trial is mainly funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency s Innovative Streets fund, and it aims to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, and reduce speeding and congestion.
Rachael Kelly/Stuff
The Gore District Council decided not to use about 120 planters in its Streets Alive programme, which were destined for the town s median strips.
Concrete planters placed on Gore’s streets as part of a roading project have proven controversial – but there could have been a lot more of them on the roads. About 120 are sitting behind locked gates on council land in Salford St – some painted by children, and most with soil and plants in them. The planters are part of the Gore District Council’s $1 million Streets Alive project, which has changed some layouts for traffic throughout the town, by adding pocket parks, planters, roundabouts and courtesy crossings. The trial is mainly funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency s Innovative Streets fund, and it aims to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, and reduce speeding and congestion.