Innovating streets at The Mount

A trial will allow residents, visitors and businesses to experience the 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. 

The four pre-identified routes below have been confirmed following feedback from the community. The final decision about the go-ahead for the trials 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 for the Community Design Group (CDG), 25 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 are represented and a police sergeant undertook multiple hat draws to select the members of the group.

These groups are represented:

• 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 have been invited: Mount Surf Lifesaving Club, Mount Rate Payers Association, Mount Camping Ground, local hapū, disability representative, Bike Tauranga, Mount Board Riders Club, Tourism Bay of Plenty and the Mount Main Street Business Association.

The CDG has come together for three workshops where they worked closely with us on developing design options for changes to streets on busy Mount routes.

Now that the design options for the trials have been developed, a second round of feedback will be held between 12-29 November to understand what people think of the designs. For all of the next steps for this project, see below.

• In The Mount there are large numbers of people in cars, on bikes, on foot, on mobility scooters and other modes of transport sharing a limited road space. We want people of all ages and abilities to feel safe and confident travelling in this area.
• We need to increase the opportunities for safe active travel, which is good for our health and the environment. 
• The COVID-19 lockdown showed us that there was a huge suppressed demand for activities such as biking and scootering that was realised when traffic volumes decreased, and people felt safer on our streets.
• The popularity and the population pressures at The Mount are only likely to increase. We need to explore new ways of doing things to accommodate more people.
• Traffic accidents are occurring with cyclists and pedestrians along key routes.  The number is not substantial, probably because of the slow vehicle speeds. However, with an expected increase in the numbers of people on foot and on other active travel vehicles, the accident risk is likely to increase, at which point, significant action may be required. We want to consider ways of avoiding that situation.
• The Tay Street intersection area in particular has a history of safety challenges, which will need to be addressed in the near-term, and the trials give us the opportunity to evaluate solutions at minimal cost.

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%.

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 high-level timeframe is outlined below but may change as a result of community feedback. The final timeline will be confirmed with the public during the design process.