Christchurch Southern Motorway extension - notice of requirement and resource consents
Transit NZ has lodged a notice of requirement ("designation") with CCC for proposed extensions to the Southern Motorway. Applications for resource consents associated with the project have also been lodged with CCC and ECAN.
As part of the project, a cycleway will be constructed parallel to the motorway.
Submissions on the notice of requirement and CCC resource consent applications close on 18 July 2008, before 5pm, with CCC. ECAN resource consent applications must be lodged with the Regional Council by the same date. Submissions must be in the prescribed form. Forms are available on the CCC website at:
http://www.ccc.govt.nz/cityplan/SubmissionForm21Designation.pdf
http://www.ccc.govt.nz/planning/forms/NoticeSubRCFm13.pdf
and on the ECAN website at:
http://www.ecan.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/D4CEEB9C-1702-4EC3-80E2-50A5F710553...
Details of the notice and applications and associated documentation can be found on the Transit NZ website below.
This is a very large project and we need to decide whether we want to lodge a submission supporting or opposing the motorway extension, or particular aspects of the project. We also need to determine if the proposed cycling improvements associated with the project are adequate, and whether a submission needs to be lodged supporting them, or seeking changes.
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Keep a watching brief on this
Looking through the plans, they appear to be the same ones that we looked at a few months back with Transit/CCC/Opus. We raised most of the same points that Axel has, so they have a record of our concerns.
This is the "specimen design" which is used as an indicative starting point for all of this legislative/consultative process, and when would-be consultants for detailed design are scoping what is likely to be involved. But it is still very much subject to change in the final construction plan, particularly of the smaller details.
As Robin points out, the Notice of Requirement being consulted on here isn't really related to the issues we have. Only possible question mark could be if there is anything related to the extra overbridge structure over Lincoln Rd? (i.e. any implications of putting cycleway up there too?) But we should maintain communication with Transit and their final consultant to make sure that our concerns are addressed in the final construction plans.
Glen Koorey
Spokes Core Member
Southern Motorway Notice of Requirement
Good work Axel. I've now had an opportunity to look through the plans and supporting documentation. I don't think any of the consent applications are relevant as they are largely related to activities like earthworks and issues like proximity to waterways, old tip sites etc. The key issues that Axel has identified are unfortunately within the existing motorway designation, and not the sections that the new Notice of Requirement relates to. So we couldn't influence them through a submission. The other issues are probably best dealt with through representations to Transit before the detailed design stage. Because of these factors and the time required to put together formal submissions, I'm therefore recommending that we not lodge submissions on the application, unless we either a) Want to oppose the whole motorway extension, or b) Support those new cycling provisions that are relevant to the notice of requirement. As the cycling provisions will go ahead anyway, I'd suggest that neither of these approaches are likely to have much impact...
This is mostly good, but...
I've had a 'brief look' through the consultation material. There's a lot of ground to be covered. From a cycling and walking perspective, this is mostly good, with two major exceptions:
# There doesn't appear to be an immediate provision for cyclists and pedestrians at Curletts Road - the facilities just stop until CCC have sorted out some future connection. We should get a timeline for that. In its current form, this is nowhere near good enough (7020m-to-7780m).
# The existing bridge across Lincoln Road is to be duplicated. As the cycleway is along the southern side of the motorway in this section, it could easily become part of the new bridge. Not so, cyclists can make their way across busy Lincoln Road. An otherwise good facility is made so much harder to use, and a lot less suitable for the young, the old, and the more timid. What a shame (9250m-to-9990m).
There are a few issues that are comparatively less important:
# The discontinuous cycle lane across Hickory Place is inconsistent with recommended practice, but at least it's easy to fix (0m-to-350m). On the same sheet, the detailing across Connaught Dr isn't right either.
# The kerbside cycle lane adjacent to shared through and left turning lanes will make the intersection with Shands Road to be very uncomfortable for cyclists (350m-to-1100m).
# But maybe I'm understanding this all wrong, and cyclists are not provided for on the carriageway on Halswell Junction Road. There's a pathway on the north side (nice for those cyclists who prefer to be on a pathway). That crosses a fair number of driveways, though. It's definitely unacceptable to not also provide for those cyclists who wish to be on the carriageway.
# The proposed roundabout at Springs Road will be horrible to cross, as the geometry encourages very high motor vehicle speeds. Coming out of the roundabout, there is no shoulder available for cyclists heading towards Main South Road, which is outright dangerous (1860m-to-2630m).