Two-way? One-Way? Dunedin City Council debates potential George St u-turn
From reporter Hamish McNeilly:
A potential u-turn over Dunedin’s George St makeover has been stopped in its tracks.
A report to the Dunedin City Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee noted incorporating flexibility – from the current one-way proposal to a two-way – would result in increased costs of potentially up to $1m a month.
It comes after mayor Jules Radich called for “a mid-project review” late last year, as he was sceptical about the value of a more pedestrian-friendly space and wanted to “minimise future expense if modification is deemed necessary”.
The report to council found any changes could involve the removal of planter beds, relocation of signals, and a change to kerbs to separate vehicles from passengers.
Any change could also result in “reputational risk” for the council, the report noted.
Work on the retail quarter began in October 2021, with work completed on Frederick St, London St and the ‘Farmers Block’ of George St.
Meanwhile, work has begun on the ‘Golden Block’ of George St – the main retail shopping block of Dunedin.
The forecast spend for the George St upgrade, which is set to be completed in early 2024, was $51m, including $23m for Three Waters upgrades.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi was contributing $12m for work above ground.
The committee heard debate on how much it would cost to end that contract, to which council chief executive Sandy Graham replied it "would be costly".
Radich said the council’s report, which includes options for flexibility for the project, was "insufficient".
The majority of the redeveloped George St was designed to be a one-way shared space.
Josh von Pein, council project manager of major projects, said: “The work was a complex project complicated by what was encountered during excavation.
“We have known knowns and known unknowns.”
Councillor Jim O’Malley, the committee’s chairperson, noted 60% of the work had been completed, with delays costing up to $5m depending on how long those delays continued.
He noted the council’s argument was the same argument it was making against the Ministry of Health over potential cuts to the redeveloped Dunedin Hospital.
The project had already been debated and costed, and it was not financially prudent to call for changes now, O’Malley said.
Councillor David Benson-Pope said the efforts of some councillors, including the mayor, to delay the project were “appalling”.
He urged councillors to support staff and “get on” with the project.
Radich noted it was “critically important” for the council to have all the facts in front of them, given the scale of the project, and incorporating flexibility was not a major cost in the overall plan.
However, a request for an updated report that provides further information on the contract break costs, a 10km two-way option, minimal change from current design, pedestrianisation and a “do-nothing” option by February 28, was lost 9-8.
That meant the project was likely to continue as planned.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
-
53.4% Yes
-
46.6% No
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
Loading…
