Community leaders in Tāhunanui say they are still ‘shell-shocked’ from Waka Kotahi’s announcement last week that will see a four-lane highway roll through the suburb.
Waka Kotahi advanced its plan for the region’s roading woes which was adopted unanimously by Nelson City councillors at last Thursday’s council meeting.
But the plan has left Tāhunanui’s community leaders fuming that Waka Kotahi did not take on board strong feedback from the community that four laning Tāhunanui Dr would be unsafe for residents to access their local services.
Jacinda Stevenson has been a driving force for Tāhunanui in engaging with Waka Kotahi and the council.
She says she was “blindsided” by the announcement.
“We have a very frustrated and angry community. We will definitely be fighting this and hope that no one will be injured in the meantime.”
She says the major concern is a second lane through the lights on Tāhunanui Drive, outside the pharmacy.
“It’s about people and safety, that second lane was taken out in 2013 for a reason. It goes totally against their [Waka Kotahi’s] Road to Zero plan which aims to have no injuries or deaths on the road.”
Nelson MP Rachel Boyack says she also shares some concerns over safety which she has raised with both Waka Kotahi and NCC.
“Having a double lane outside a pharmacy, I think that’s got some safety issues.
“I think the community have done a very good job of advocating for themselves and for a better solution to be found there and I’ll continue to support that.”
She says if we can get a shift happening to other forms of transport, then we might not need to look at the priority lanes.
“I think that’s something we should look at as a goal.”
She says the plan will see an “enormous improvement” to the walking and cycling experience along the waterfront.
“I have done both along Rocks Rd and it is challenging.”
Rachel is confident that the Waka Kotahi board will progress with funding now that there is an agreed plan in place between both NCC and Waka Kotahi.
“I’m confident that people in Nelson and government departments see the need for us to upgrade the waterfront for the resilience of the road, climate change, and the need for improved walking and cycling.”
Former mayor Paul Matheson, who has led Tāhunanui’s fight alongside Jacinda, says he was “a bit stunned” at the attitude of Waka Kotahi through the process.
“That agency needs to understand it’s actually our taxpayer’s money they’re playing games with.
“The only ones that listened to our concerns were the councillors, which was good, the councillors understood where we were coming from.”
