The Maru | Streets for People project aims to make it feel safer, more inviting and accessible for residents of all ages to walk, skate, scooter or bike to school, work and the town centre, and to spend time in public spaces.
We’ve spoken to students, schools, and local residents through interviews, workshops, events, and a community survey. View the Maru | Streets for People Benchmark Report.
During the trials in May 2023 there there were opportunities to provide feedback in-person and online. Feedback and data was collated, and a report released that informed our semi-permanent design.
If you would like to have your say or be involved in future workshops, email wainuistreets@huttcity.co.nz.
Semi-permanent design
In October 2023 we sought feedback on an overall semi-permanent design, which is expected to be in place over the next few years as we progress towards a permanent design.
We found that the majority respondents are in favour of the semi-permanent designs that will improve the safety and accessibility of people moving through the area by feet or small wheels.
Through email submissions, door-knocking on the affected streets and talking to parents outside of the schools we received 114 pieces of feedback from the community:
- Feedback from school staff and families with children, for which this project is aimed towards, was fully supportive and endorsed the proposed changes.
- Overall 52% of respondents were supportive of the changes and 16% of respondents were opposed. In-person feedback from door-knocking and talking to parents was even more positive. 63% of door-knocking respondents, and 71% of parents talked to were wholly supportive of the changes.
- There were mixed responses (supportive of some changes, against others) from 32% of respondents.
Small tweaks were made to the semi-permanent design based on feedback and Council has now approved the designs.
The semi-permanent interventions will be in place for the next few years and we’ll check in with the community once they're in, allowing the layouts to be adjusted before a permanent design is confirmed.
Pop-up trial
New road layouts were trialled in April and May using temporary materials. Based on feedback and data from the trial, we preparing a semi-permanent design for road layouts to improve safety and accessibility.
Speeds were tracked before, during and after the pop-up trial at Totara Street, Konini Street and Rata Street with all three sites experiencing lower top speeds during the trial. Following the trial, speeds along Totara Street remained slightly down overall but higher speeds in the range of 100-110km/h were still recorded.
“I feel safer as a pedestrian and know to slow down as a driver. Makes you more aware of looking after your community.”
Key themes from your feedback:
- There is shared vision to improve safety in the area, particularly for rangatahi and tamariki walking, scootering or biking around schools.
- Pedestrians, particularly parents, found the area quieter and calmer, and supported the interventions for making the area safer.
- There was near universal support for the yellow kerb ramps that improved accessibility for bikes, scooters, prams and mobility aids at the intersections.
- There was a strong dislike of the temporary materials used during the trial, particularly the cones and astroturf.
- There was concern that the narrowed intersections were not suitable for bigger vehicles.
- There was concern around traffic flows and parking in the area.
- There were questions around how the project was being funded.
“The ideas for improvement give me more confidence to walk my 7-month baby around Wainuiomata safely and it seems I won't have any accessibility problems.”
Temporary materials were used during the trial to create an adaptive layout that could quickly be altered as needed. For the semi-permanent design we’ll be using more durable materials with a greater visual appeal.
You can view the full report from the pop-up trial here.