The Maru | Streets for People project aims to make it feel safer, more inviting and accessible for residents of all ages to walk, skate, scooter or bike to school, work and the town centre, and to spend time in public spaces.
We’ve spoken to students, schools, and local residents through interviews, workshops, events, and a community survey. View the Maru | Streets for People Benchmark Report
During the trials in May 2023 there there were opportunities to provide feedback in-person and online and a report of this feedback will be available soon.
If you would like to have your say or be involved in future workshops, email wainuistreets@huttcity.co.nz.
Your feedback and trial results
New road layouts were trialled in April and May using temporary materials. Based on feedback and data from that trial, we’re preparing a semi-permanent design for road layouts to improve safety and accessibility.
Speeds were tracked before, during and after the pop-up trial at Totara Street, Konini Street and Rata Street with all three sites experiencing lower top speeds during the trial. Following the trial, speeds along Totara Street remained slightly down overall but higher speeds in the range of 100-110km/h were still recorded.
“I feel safer as a pedestrian and know to slow down as a driver. Makes you more aware of looking after your community.”
Key themes from your feedback:
- There is shared vision to improve safety in the area, particularly for rangatahi and tamariki walking, scootering or biking around schools.
- Pedestrians, particularly parents, found the area quieter and calmer, and supported the interventions for making the area safer.
- There was near universal support for the yellow kerb ramps that improved accessibility for bikes, scooters, prams and mobility aids at the intersections.
- There was a strong dislike of the temporary materials used during the trial, particularly the cones and astroturf.
- There was concern that the narrowed intersections were not suitable for bigger vehicles.
- There was concern around traffic flows and parking in the area.
- There were questions around how the project was being funded.
“The ideas for improvement give me more confidence to walk my 7-month baby around Wainuiomata safely and it seems I won't have any accessibility problems.”
Temporary materials were used during the trial to create an adaptive layout that could quickly be altered as needed. For the semi-permanent design we’ll be using more durable materials with a greater visual appeal and the community will be invited to select artwork used at intersections in the project area.
Semi-permanent designs will be shared with the community in September before installation in November. The semi-permanent interventions will be in place for the next few years and we’ll check in with the community over summer 2023/24, allowing the layouts to be adjusted before a permanent design is confirmed.
You can view the full report from the pop-up trial here.