Some Martinborough residents are apparently ready to embrace change – change which will improve the interface of people with vehicles through traffic safety, traffic flows, traffic calming and access.
The Puruatanga Road fatality of mid-February continues to resonate, with a petition circulated to support the district council’s call for calming pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle interactions across the district – some of which was earlier consulted on but rejected by central government.
Already, proposals are afoot to help resolve traffic flows at the district’s worst accident black spot – the State Highway 53 – Princess St intersection.
Some residents want the Princess/Dublin Streets southern heavy traffic by-pass either calmed or moved away from the primary school. Others see moving the primary school access as also needed.
Now, another traffic calming/diversion plan has been dusted off after six years on the shelf.
Labelled the “Kitchener Street Precinct,” it proposed:
- re-designating the last block of State Highway 53/first block of Kitchener Street from The Square to a local roadway and public space;
- recognising the increased pedestrian traffic, the “walkability” and “connectedness” of the area to the town and its business centre;
- turning the block between The Square and Ohio St into a multi-use area;
- allowing the hub of cafes, restaurants, retail stores and real estate agencies to expand into the footpath area with outside attractions;
- reaffirm the area’s use for activities like Martinborough Fair, Cruise Martinborough and other tourist activities.
In a submission to SWDC in 2019, Jazz-in-Martinborough organiser Ted Preston first surfaced the proposal after the festival was turned down to have a jazz band play on a truck in the Kitchener St block.
Preston wrote at the time: “At present the Kitchener/Ohio St village block is a traditional street with specified vehicular and pedestrian areas consistent with its designation as a Highway.
“A revocation of that designation, to be re- classified as a Local Road, would not, of itself, produce a space that encouraged flexible usage for users or adjacent businesses.
“It would, though, enable a platform for the multi-party discussions that could lead to designs for an attractive, people-oriented area with a uniquely-Martinborough character.”
He noted that development of the Kitchener St Precinct into a public space shared between pedestrian and vehicular traffic – would “better express the character of the Village.”
He even checked the legal requirements, writing that “Highway 53, between Ohio Street and The Square, should be re-designated as a Local Road (via the Revocation process set out in the Land Transport Management Act 2003, s 103 (5).”
On how to proceed, Preston said a discussion would “need to take place between interested parties to investigate the advantages of re-designing the Kitchener precinct to reflect the evolving nature of the village of Martinborough. Interested parties will include:
- the community at large, and specific groups and individuals within the community;
- all local businesses, especially those catering for visitors or organisers of events;
- controlling authorities, both local and regional, and Iwi and hapu.”
The result “at little initial cost, will be a pedestrian friendly flexible use area of benefit to the cafes,” and other businesses.
“I can envisage a truck/container stage in position in the area for summertime cushion concerts, and
so on.”
“This roadway is not an arterial highway, unlike Greytown, Carterton or Featherston with log trucks grinding through, so the flexibility for council to consult and develop, unfettered by the conditions associated with the Highway designation, is both local and immediate.”
