Innovating streets at The Mount

The project 'Innovating Streets at The Mount' is centred around co-design with the community. Throughout the project's life span engagement, feedback and collaboration are key.

A big thanks to everyone who has shared their thoughts and input with us so far.

A third round of community feedback is planned to occur after April 2021 on any trials installed, to evaluate how the members of the public feel about the changes involved.

The first round of community feedback, held from the end of August to mid-September 2020, focused on understanding which routes people thought we should include in the trial and what the perception of safety was for people using different ways of getting around. 

Key points from the feedback were:

• The majority of the submitters wants council to trial changes on all four identified routes; with support varying between 58 and 70%, depending on the route.
• Respondents think all the proposed routes are safer for pedestrians, than for people on bikes, scooters, skateboards or other mobility-aid devices.
• Between 46% and 66% of respondents think that the routes are not safe for children on bikes, scooters, skateboards or other mobility-aid devices. The statistics for adults are similar (within 5%).
• Feedback statistics for respondents who identified themselves as ‘Mount residents’ were similar to those for all respondents (typically within 5%).

Report on public feedback - round one (965kb pdf)

We have also set up a Community Design Group, consisting of 28 representatives from all corners of the community. Between the end of September and the end of October, this group worked with us on developing ideas for trials. The feedback collected through the first round of public engagement was essential in guiding this work. Read more about the Community Design Group below.

In a second round of community feedback, held from mid-to-end-November 2020, we asked the members of the public which changes they thought we should trial. You can view the design options that were open for feedback in this document. Currently we are analysing the data and developing a summary. Once a summary of the feedback is available, we will share it on this page.

A trial will allow residents, visitors and businesses to experience any proposed changes in real-life while keeping flexibility to fine-tune elements of the trial during its lifespan, such as the effects on traffic and parking. 

Following the initial round of public engagement in August and September 2020, the four pre-identified routes were confirmed as appropriate for trials, although the final decision to go ahead will be made by Council in February 2021.

Parts of the trial could include separating different modes of travel or slowing traffic. For example with chicanes, narrowing the carriageway, street decorations, signage and altering parking layouts. We also have a chance to explore how we can make the area even more attractive for locals and visitors. This could be achieved by using different surfacing and by adding seating and play opportunities.

During and after the trial, working with the community, Council will assess the success of the project to determine whether any of the temporary changes should become permanent.

Out of 180 applications to join the Community Design Group (CDG), 28 people were selected to be part of it. All applicants were sorted into different categories (e.g. youth, resident, parent, business owner) to ensure the various views of the community were represented and a police sergeant undertook multiple hat draws to select the members of the group.

The groups represented are:

• Youth: 1 x Mount College student, 1 x representative from the Youth Advisory Group (another high school student)
• Youth: 1 x primary school teacher
• Parent: 1 x parent of a 0-10 year old
• Businesses: 1 x representative from Tay Street shops, 1 x business representative from Main Beach/Adams Ave, 1 x business representative from Mount main shopping centre
• Residents: One representative that supports the project and one that does not support the project for the following categories: 2 x residents from Mount Maunganui, 2 x residents from Marine Parade (Banks-Adams Ave), 2 x residents of Marine Parade (Tay-Banks), 2 x residents of The Mall, 1 x resident from Salisbury/Banks.
• Other: additionally one representative from each of the following organisations/groups were part of the group: Mount Surf Lifesaving Club, Mount Rate Payers Association, Mount Camping Ground, local hapū, disability representatives, Bike Tauranga, Mount Board Riders Club, Tourism Bay of Plenty, the Mount Main Street Business Association, and the Port of Tauranga.

The CDG has come together for four workshops where they worked closely with us on developing design options and on finalising the plan that will be presented to Council in February 2021.

A population growth of 43% is expected in Tauranga between 2018-2048 and the popularity of The Mount as a destination is ever-increasing.

That's why we need to explore new ways of doing things to accommodate more people and to make the area more attractive for all users including those on bikes, on foot, on mobility scooters and other modes of transport.

This would not only prevent more congestion and air pollution but is also good for our health and the environment.

In the video below you can see what Tauranga’s transport challenges are and what we could do to create neighbourhoods where it is easier and safer to move around.

We have $990,000 available for this project. Waka Kotahi’s ‘Innovating Streets pilot fund’ will cover 90% of the project costs while TCC will fund 10%.

Find out more about Waka Kotahi's Innovating Streets for People programme

Currently, we hope to install a trial in March 2021 (i.e. no works will be undertaken over the December 2020 to January 2021 holiday period). Due to funding by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, any works involved in Innovating Streets at The Mount are to be completed by 30 June 2021.

Our timeframe is outlined below but may change as a result of community feedback.