Letter from CCC re Street Renewal Project

CAPITAL PROGRAM GROUP

21 April 2010

CHRISTCHURCH

Re: St James Avenue Street Renewal Project (Harewood Road to Dalriada Street)

Dear Sir/Madam

Christchurch City Council delivers several street renewal projects each year. These projects replace the existing kerb and dish channel with new kerb and flat channel. At the same time as the kerb and dish channel is replaced, other associated street works may also be completed, such as upgrading the street lighting, improving the landscaping and bringing the street design up to current standards.

The streets that are due for renewal are prioritised based on the condition of the existing kerb and dish channel as well as the costs to maintain the streets. In the current Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP), the section of St James Avenue between Harewood Road and Dalriada Street is scheduled to be reconstructed in the 2011/12 financial year.

The process for completing a street renewal project includes gathering feedback from the local residents on what they perceive as the key issues within the street and its proposed design. This is a very important step as it allows the designers to consider the local issues and it assists the community board to make the final decision when approving the plans.

The Council originally investigated this project in 2006, but due to funding implications the project was deferred.

We are currently in the early stages of this project and we would appreciate your input. We have reviewed the comments from 2006 and completed other preliminary investigations like traffic counts, speed surveys, arborist reports, drainage assessments and parking surveys. This has allowed us to develop some draft options for discussion.

When reviewing these draft options, there are several considerations that need to be taken into account, including:

• understanding the opportunity that we have now to complete a well considered street renewal project that the public will be happy with for the design life of the next 80 to 100 years;
• the pros and cons of the design options available; 
• the current traffic engineering design standards;
• the impact on the likes of the trees, drainage and traffic speed; 
• the financial impact; and,
• the impact on all road users which includes vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and parking.

Several of these considerations conflict with each other and this project will work to achieve the appropriate balance between these competing demands.

We will provide background information to assist you to understand the issues and the challenges faced for any proposed designs.

You are invited to a workshop that will present the background information and discuss the draft options for this project. This workshop will be an active process and will encourage input from all attendees. The purpose of this workshop is to encourage people to express their views and listen to the ideas of others.

Following the workshop, Council staff will compile the results and draft a preferred option that will be circulated to residents and other affected parties. At this stage you will have an opportunity to express your views on the preferred option.

Workshop date:    Wednesday 26 May 2010 at 4.00 pm - 6.00 pm
Workshop venue:     Methodist Church Hall, on the corner of Parish St and Harewood Rd

Please RSVP by 17 May to Sally Holtham on 941 6530 or sally.holtham@ccc.govt.nz if you will be attending. If you would like to attend but are not available at this time, please contact me and we will make alternative arrangements to receive your input.

If you would like further information regarding this project, please contact me on 941 6510 or via email on tara.smith@ccc.govt.nz.


Yours sincerely,
 

(signed)
 

Tara Smith
Consultation Leader - Greenspace