Changes to Waipawa’s main street recognise that State Highway 2 is an important transport link as well as a pedestrian and shopping precinct.
Changes to Waipawa’s main street recognise that State Highway 2 is an important transport link as well as a pedestrian and shopping precinct.
Work on Waipawa’s main street is under way, with Tūpore Infrastructure starting construction of trial traffic interventions this week.
The project, which is substantially funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, involves trialling temporary speed reduction measures, improved walking connections, temporary traffic calming measures, and a temporary roundabout at the Ruataniwha St-State Highway 2 intersection.
The temporary measures deliver on “key moves” identified by the Waipawa community in its Waipawa Town Centre Plan developed in 2020.
Changes to the street recognise that State Highway 2 is an important transport link, while also helping to create a place where people want to stop and shop.
Traffic calming interventions, new planter boxes and bollards will serve as safety interventions and help to slow traffic, as well as encourage visitors to enjoy the main street and the historic character of the pioneer town.
Traffic calming features, new planter boxes and bollards will serve as safety interventions.
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council chief executive Doug Tate says the team are looking forward to getting the project started.
“This externally funded project is critical to delivering on the vision for our town centres, a strategic priority heard clearly in the development of Project Thrive,” says Tate.
“We’re looking forward to being able to begin to deliver on the long-held aspirations community has had for many years for Waipawa’s main street.”
Tate says the road changes are temporary, with the interventions able to be adapted after monitoring to see what works or doesn’t, or even removed if found they are not successful. Successful changes will remain in place until the council can secure funding for a permanent change.
Planned construction will take place at night by contractors Tūpore between 7pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday, for the next few months.
“We’ve been working with Tūpore to develop a construction timetable that will deliver these long-called-for changes as quickly as we can to the community, and we have put in place as many practical measures as possible to keep disruptions to road users, businesses and residents to a minimum,” Tate says.
All works will be completed overnight with a priority give-way in place most of the time. There will be a northbound detour in place overnight in mid-April to install the temporary roundabout at the SH2-Ruataniwha St intersection.
There are no planned works or detours during the day. The planned construction timetable is:
February 27–April 4: Construction of raised platform near Madge Hunter Park.
March 5–April 5: Construction of pedestrian crossing near BP station.
March 19–April 8: Construction of pedestrian crossing near the library.
April 5–26: Construction of roundabout at SH2-Ruataniwha St intersection.
The community will have the opportunity to give feedback once all the trial interventions are in place. Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to call Central Hawke’s Bay District Council on (06) 857 8060 or email streetsforpeople@chbdc.govt.nz
