Whangārei roading masterplan work will cut John St to one-way

The pedestrian crossing on Dent St will be reconfigured so people can cross both lanes on one phase as part of the Whangārei District Council's Complete Streets Masterplan. Photo / Tania Whyte

TW170321NADROAD_0061.JPG
John St will be one-way for traffic due to a WDC roadworks masterplan. Photo / Tania Whyte

SUP18031NADdentst.JPG
This map shows which part of John St, Whangārei, will be one-way.

Part of a busy central Whangārei street will be down to one-way only for traffic with a roadworks masterplan underway.

The first of a series of inner-city road improvement projects outlined in Whangārei District Council's Complete Streets Masterplan is about to begin.

Half of John St will become one-way, with cars able to enter from Dent St but unable to exit from John St on to Dent St.

The John St pedestrian crossing across Dent St will be improved, becoming a safer, wider, one-stage crossing to make it easier for pedestrians to get to the waterfront from the central city and vice versa.

"Currently pedestrians have to cross the road in two stages which involves them waiting out [on the island] in the middle of the road,'' says Northland Transport Alliance project manager Pete Watts.

This map shows which part of John St, Whangārei, will be one-way.

"We want to avoid this, especially with the increased numbers of people expected once the Hundertwasser arts centre opens.''

He said making part of John St one-way will also stop drivers from cutting through it at peak times, causing congestion on that section of Dent St.

"We are planning to start works shortly for this with completion in late June 2021 before the new Town Basin park and the Hundertwasser centre open in late 2021."

He said motorists can expect intermittent minor disruptions along John and Dent Sts over the next three months while this work is carried out.

John St will be one-way for traffic due to a WDC roadworks masterplan. Photo / Tania Whyte

"Over the next month we will also start making improvements to traffic light phasing at the Riverside Dr/Dent St intersection and will widen footpath waiting spaces at the lights to make them safer for people with pushchairs or mobility scooters," he said.

The improvements are part of the recently released Whangārei Complete Streets Masterplan, which sets out a 30-year vision for the revitalisation of public spaces and streets within the central city.

The council is also wanting community feedback about further improvements to James and John Sts as part of its Long Term Plan – see www.wdc.govt.nz/haveyoursay for more information.