The Rodney local board has allocated $3.25 million dollars for approximately 600m of footpath in Kaukapakapa (that’s almost five and a half thousand dollars per lineal meter of footpath), this money is coming from the RLBTTR (Rodney Local Board Targeted Transport Rate) and is something many community members have been lobbying for over the years, to connect the community hall with North Crescent on both sides of the state highway. Please note the project does not extend to Moses Estate in the north or to Riverview in the south.
As some will be aware; a particular group has been sharing misinformation about the project and more concerning they have been sharing misinformation about me, the elected member on the Rodney local board who lives in the area.
This project went out for public consultation and many community members who provided feedback expressed concern about losing car parking in front of the Kaukapakapa dairy and expressed serious concern for the speed bumps, or raised pedestrian crossings, proposed for the state highway due to the noise, vibration and pollution associated with the speed table option.
Design guidelines allow for pedestrian crossings to be flat / at grade / flush with the road surface if they have kerb build outs or a centre island refuge for pedestrians (or both kerb build outs and centre refuge)
But unfortunately a small group of people, including some who are on the payroll of public entities, have been sharing misinformation and disinformation about this and have tried to lead people to believe the only way to have a pedestrian crossing is if the pedestrian crossing is also a speed bump / raised.
The Rodney local board resolved at our October meeting to investigate the design options for flat pedestrian crossings
“ whakaae / review the design options with Waka Kotahi for non-raised crossings further to the local board’s decision, one at the Kaukapakapa Hall close to the Kaukapakapa School and one near the petrol station”
While decisions relating to what items make our local board agenda are made by the chairperson I do expect to see this item on our agenda for discussion at our February 2024 Rodney Local Board business meeting. (This is open to the public and anyone can request a deputisation to speak for 10 minutes by emailing the staff at least 7 working days before the meeting or can request to speak for 3 minutes by showing up on the day and advising staff / the chair person you wish to address the board).
The community members who have bothered to contact me personally are almost all in support for a flat option due to the negative impacts on the community and travellers of the state highway if there were to be raised tables and speed bumps installed on the highway. The noise, vibration and additional pollution from the speed tables is something which needs to be considered and when state highway one is closed or congested we can see up to 2,000 trucks a day travel through Kaukapakapa… this is a lot of noise, vibration and extra diesel fumes from the trucks slowing down and accelerating to climb over the speed bumps.
Have anything to add? Didn’t get a chance to provide feedback officially? Were you told misinformation about this project? Feel free to get in touch any time.
