On 23 October 2024, Hamilton City Council voted to redesign the planned raised crossing on Heaphy Terrace. That single raised crossing had a cost of $689,000 according to the preferred option that Council staff proposed in 2024.
In the 11 February 2025 Council meeting, staff presented the new crossing design which removed the raised platform, added signal lights, and moved the crossing further away from the Boundary Road roundabout.
Details of the decision are as follows:
- Councillors voted unanimously (14-0) to go ahead a construct the redesigned, at-level and signalised pedestrian crossing.
- The new crossing will be located between the Hamilton Jama Mosque and Stanley Street.
- At this stage, most of the funding for the crossing will be from central government co-funding (The CERF scheme funds 90% of build projects for roading changes related to climate change policies).
- Councillors have been all strongly supportive of an improved pedestrian crossing at this general location, though there were disagreements surrounding both the type of crossing and how close to the roundabout it should be installed.
- Council staff had been heavily-promoting a raised crossing much closer to the roundabout and have been unfavourable towards other crossing options. It has taken considerable time and effort to progress this alternative crossing option.
- There was discussion and questioning of the Council staff about the estimated cost of the redesigned crossing. The estimate of $545,700 was re-calculated after Councillor Wilson questioned the mathematics capability of staff and other Councillors queried discrepancies in the table on page 24 of the meeting agenda.
- Criticism of the new crossing design included the removal of a carpark, removal of a tree, noise issues, and that a crossing closer to the roundabout would be closer to pedestrian desire-lines.
- Councillors and members of the public have proposed that the conversion of the Heaphy Terrace – Boundary Road roundabout into an intersection with traffic lights would be the better solution to a range of issues.
- There appears to have been some targeted community consultation on the redesigned proposed crossing.
Links
The Council meeting Agenda:
Full video of the Council meeting:
Unconfirmed meeting minutes:
Quotes
From the minutes of the Council Meeting, Wednesday 23 October 2024
“Heaphy Terrace Pedestrian Crossing Location Approval
The Design & Deliver Unit Director and the Urban Transport Manager outlined the staff report.
Staff responded to questions from Elected Members concerning design, construction logistics,
future work programmes or projects in the area, and concerns raised during the Public Forum
section of the meeting.Resolved: (Cr Wilson/Cr Hutt)
That the Council:
a) receives the report; and b) approves the construction of an at-grade signalised pedestrian crossing on Heaphy Terrace
at the location detailed in this report between the Hamilton Jamia Mosque and Stanley
Street using funding available from the Climate Emergency Response Fund Transport
Choices Programme with subsidy from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
and the work to be completed by 30 June 2025.“Resolved: (Cr Wilson/Cr Bydder)
Further reading on this issue
