By Megan Wilson
Plans to fast-track an $8.5 million safer cycleway for Totara St after two fatalities have hit a roadblock with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency delaying a decision on its half of the funding.
Today Tauranga City Council's commissioners will meet with the agency in a desperate bid to change the decision.
Just under a year ago the council voted to fast-track the separated cycleway build as a temporary solution to safety concerns on the route following the death of cyclist Graeme Shallcrass, 62, in a collision with a truck on the road on May 28. A mobility scooter user died on the road in 2018.
The council had been planning to start construction this month, but last month learned the agency was not ready to sign off its 51 per cent share of the funding - $4.36m. The council was contributing just under $4.2m.
The agency says it has deferred the decision about whether to fund the project to the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) process later this year. It will be weighed up alongside other projects nationally.
The council – which says Totara St is higher risk for vulnerable road users than similar roads – says the delay will likely drive the project price up.
In a council meeting yesterday, it was described as "frustrating" and an "unacceptable safety outcome".
Council general manager of infrastructure Nic Johansson said it was "rather disappointing".
"It's out for tender, we have a contract. It's frustrating in all parts. It's delivering benefits for the users we were looking forward to giving, and safety options for vulnerable users of Totara St."
Johannsson said the council received "really good rates for the works" in tenders because the construction sector tended to be more competitive for winter work.
He said a funding decision could not be expected now until September at the earliest, which would push construction to summer "which means it will compete with everything else".
"We are trying to change the way we do business. We are trying to be more proactive.
"This was the first cab off the rank [in terms of] going to market under new governance so it's disappointing to put brakes on again when the sector was expecting something different from us."
Commissioner Stephen Selwood said Johannsson was being "very polite".
"This is very frustrating, concerning and an unacceptable safety outcome.
"How do we get to the situation where NZTA can't afford to fund a $4m share of $8m project that had already got to tender and had significant benefit to the community from the safety point of view?
"Now it's likely to cost us more … in peak summer season in the Bay of Plenty. It doesn't make sense."
Selwood said the commissioners were meeting with the regional manager of the transport agency today to explore alternative funding options to prevent funding delays.
Brendan Bisley, acting director for the council's Transport System Plan, told the Bay of Plenty Times the council needed the NZTA subsidy to go ahead with the project, which it had intended to have finished by the start of the holiday season in December.
The timing would have also minimised impacts on freight movements from the Port of Tauranga.
"With the delay in funding approvals, work cannot commence and may now need to start late this year or potentially in the New Year."
He said the council had been working closely with the agency through the application phases as the cycleway design progressed. But after the final application, for construction, the agency said its walking and cycling funding for this financial year was fully allocated and Totara St would have to wait.
He said tenderers had been aware the project was subject to funding approval. Construction would proceed once funding was confirmed.
NZTA regional relationships director David Speirs said the agency told all local government chief executives in February it was not approving funding for any new delivery projects in the 2018-21 NLTP period.
He said the pre-implementation phase of the Totara St project was approved in early February, and the agency looked for ways to fund the implementation phase too, but told the council in early May this was not possible and it would be considered in the next NLTP.
"The indicative timeframes were dictated by the Tauranga City Council project team, not by Waka Kotahi."
He said the safety of road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and motorists was a priority for the agency.
Transport advocate and former councillor Heidi Hughes was frustrated about the funding delay, particularly after there was a "groundswell of community and political will" for safety improvements to Totara St after the last fatality.
"NZTA have been a part of that journey all the way through. It was a collaborative process. They know that the contractors are ready to go and that all of the work is done and they have not funded it. If they are considering that they will fund it at a later date this is not what the timeline of the project is."
Bike Tauranga member Andrew Thorpe said the group was "incredibly disappointed" at the funding decision.
"This is about people's lives and health and safety. We find it incredible that a project designed to mitigate the loss of life that has already occurred here on what is rightly regarded as one of the most dangerous pieces of roads in New Zealand has had its funding [delayed].
"This city's track record in creating new safe infrastructure for pedestrians and people on bikes is woeful."
A Port of Tauranga spokeswoman said the port had supported safety improvements on Totara St for a long time but wanted to ensure developments would benefit all road users.
"We would prefer any cycleway development to be part of a comprehensive, integrated, long-term solution for all users (vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists) rather than a temporary fix."
The port continued to advocate for Totara St to be made a state highway, to help expedite Government funding for safety and other upgrades.
In relation to the May 2020 fatality, the matter had been reported to the coroner.
John Douglas, 68, has lived in Mount Maunganui for 20 years, and has cycled to work on Willow Street in the Tauranga CBD every day for the past three years on his e-bike.
"The reason I do it is [because] it's quick. I don't have to find a car park. It takes me 10-12 minutes to get from Gordon Rd to Willow St."
He was "gutted" by the Totara St cycleway funding delay.
"I recall in 2017 going to a presentation of the proposed new cycleway then and being excited, and it never happened. I got excited again last year when it was back on the table. Now it's been delayed again."
Douglas said creating a safe cycleway on Totara St would ease traffic congestion and parking problems, and revitalise the Tauranga CBD by making it easier to commute from Mount Maunganui.
"I know so many people in my age group who have bought e-bikes who would commute to the Mount if there was a safe way of doing it."
The council has also been served with judicial review proceedings.