Big bill for upgrade to streets around library

The area in front of the library will be used by pedestrians and cars. Photo / Supplied

An upgrade of the street area around the central library is expected to cost $10.9 million, but Auckland City officers have yet to say why it could cost so much.

A much bigger basic upgrade of Queens Wharf is costed at $15 million to $20 million.

The short section of Lorne St outside the library is to be turned into a shared space in which vehicles and pedestrians will share a new road surface of basalt and granite paving.

A set of stairs running along the front of the library will connect the multi-levelled street and provide space for people to sit and relax.

Pole-mounted lights are planned, with a several light boxes featuring changing artworks.

The St James facade could be used as an open-air cinema and for artwork projection.

The $10.9 million budget also includes new paving in Lorne St outside Senior College and new paving and trees for Rutland St.

A council spokesman said officers could not nail down an exact cost until they had assessed public submissions and come up with a final plan.

Last night, arts, culture and recreation committee chairman Greg Moyle said he did not know what the breakdown was for the project, but planned to find out today.

He praised the various streetscape improvements in the central city, but said the council had to be confident it was getting value for ratepayers' money.

The Lorne St project appears to be a smaller project to the upgrade of St Patricks Square, which took 14 months and cost $9.2 million.

"The Lorne St upgrade area is in a prime location in the CBD and we want to see it really come to life as a place people can enjoy spending time in," Mr Moyle said.

In 2001, the council planned to upgrade the entire length of Lorne St, from Victoria St to Senior College, at a cost of $4.5 million.

In 2004, the budget blew out to $13.1 million. The section between Victoria and Wellesley Sts was completed between 2005 and 2007 at a cost of $4.5 million.

Lorne St, outside the library, is the third central city street proposed as a shared space. The other two are a $9.5 million makeover for Elliott St and Darby St, and a $23 million upgrade of Fort St.

The council's urban designers have persuaded councillors to develop a suite of streets into "shared space" where pedestrians will be free to roam as long as they do not unduly hold up motorists. Footpaths, parking spaces and most street signs will go, leaving the onus on drivers to act on visual clues and edge carefully past pedestrians.

The concept has been introduced in cities including London, New York, Copenhagen and Brisbane.

* Public consultation on Lorne St runs from today until February 8. For more information go to: www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/cbd

What $10.9m buys

* Shared space, steps, lights and light boxes outside central library.
* New paving outside Senior College.
* New paving and trees for Rutland St.