WCC and Mayor support NZTA plan

Dave Burgess at the Dom Post writes:

It is the mother of all U-turns from Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, who not only voted for her council to support the Government’s $2.4 billion roading projects package but proposed the motion.

The retreat at last night’s extraordinary meeting of Wellington City Council ended weeks of speculation and confirmed the council’s support of the New Zealand Transport Agency’s roading plan.

Its proposal includes a possible flyover to the north of the Basin Reserve, duplicate Terrace and Mt Victoria tunnels, and four-laning Ruahine St and Wellington Rd.

Excellent. The uncertainity is over.

The overall concept for the region is four lanes from the airport to Levin. That will make a huge difference, once completed. I (and I am sure the NZTA) am flexible on the exact details, so long as you achieve the goal. If that means a tunnel, instead of a flyover around the basin, so be it. But of course cost will be a major determinant.

It has also indicated that, for improvement to public transport, walking and cycling networks to occur, the roading issues need to be dealt with first.

Very rarely is it an option of roads or public transport. Almost all major cities need both. You need roads for buses and cyclists.