Think Papanui

The Government has confirmed that there is no government funding contribution in their 2024–2027 programme for the Wheels to Wings – Papanui ki Waiwhetū major cycle route. While there is budget for the project in the Council’s Long Term Plan, latest estimates are higher than is provided for in that budget.

“Without a funding contribution from government, the Council cannot deliver the design approved in 2022 within the total available budget of $18.5 million”, says Council. “We’re putting forward seven options for elected members to consider, to keep this project moving forward. Several of these alternative design options could be delivered at a lower cost than the approved design.”

Options include increasing the project budget through the upcoming Annual Plan process, only building part of the cycle route until further funding becomes available, or changing the design from physical separation between cyclists & vehicles to instead use ‘buffered painted cycle lanes’ – an approach which Council says has “significant safety concerns”.

Councillors will discuss these options during briefings this month.

Read more on the Council’s Newsline site:
https://www.newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/next-steps-for-wheels-to-wings-cycle-route

Tomorrow 16 October 2024 the Council is set to vote on the detailed traffic resolutions for the final stages of the Nor’West Arc Major Cycleway. Tomorrow’s agenda item covers the design from the Ilam/Aorangi intersection through to Harewood Road, including Papanui sections on Aorangi Road, Condell Avenue, and Matsons Avenue.

Pictured: the design for the Condell/Matsons/Windermere intersections.

Full plans can be found in the attachments to the Council’s meeting agenda at:
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2024/10/CNCL_20241016_ATT_8550_EXCLUDED.PDF

Langdons Road remains closed at the railway crossing today 15 October. Take care if you’re in the area and keep an eye out for updates.

Night works are planned to install a final asphalt layer at the Greers/Langdons intersection as part of the traffic light installation project. There will be a Stop/Go layout, which means the road will be open but reduced to one lane. Traffic will be able to pass through in both directions but there may be delays. The Stop/Go will be in place on Greers and Langdons Road from 7pm on Thursday 17 October until 6am on Friday 18 October.

For more information see the pictured works notice, or head to:
https://ccc.govt.nz/transport/works-3/show/1637

The Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board will meet this Thursday 10 October at 4pm in the Papanui boardroom.

The agenda includes:

• a public forum;
• briefings from staff and from NZ Police;
• five reports relating to parking restrictions on Somme Street, Vagues Road (pic), St Asaph Street, Cornwall Street, and Madras Street;
• a Chairperson report recommending delegating some decision-making regarding Cranford Street to the Council;
• three applications to the Board’s Discretionary Response Fund;
• consideration of Community Pride Garden Awards for 2025;
• and an area report with an overview of initiatives and issues within the Board area.

The meeting is open for the public to attend and will be livestreamed on the Board’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Click through for the full agenda:
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2024/10/PCBCC_20241010_AGN_9131_AT_WEB.htm

Development of 528 residential units in Papanui’s Cranford Basin is a step closer, with the project by developer Grassmere Estates Limited being included in the Government’s one-stop-shop Fast Track Approvals Bill.

Think Papanui understands the development will encompass approximately half of the residential-zoned land between Grassmere Street and Cranford Street, and that the project has previously received $30.9 million in Government ‘Infrastructure Acceleration’ funding.

Langdons Road is fully closed at the railway line while the Council & KiwiRail deliver a range of safety upgrades, including a signalised pedestrian crossing that will make it safer and easier to get across the busy road. There will be no vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian access during this closure, which is planned to end at 6pm on Monday 14 October (subject to weather etc) – note that this includes the first day of school term 4. Please take care if you’re in the area and follow the posted detours. From 15 October night works will continue but the road will be open during the day.

For more information see: ccc.govt.nz/bishopdale-papanui

New road layout: Harewood Road has reopened, following works to upgrade the railway line and install a signalised pedestrian crossing and automatic railway gates to make it safer for pedestrians/cyclists on Harewood Road to cross the tracks.

The new signalised pedestrian crossings and automatic railway gates will not be commissioned for use until after work at all three crossings is complete, in early to mid-2025. This is because the new pedestrian crossings, automatic railway gates and new flashing lights and bells have been designed in one new interlocking signalling system across Harewood Road, Langdons Road and Sawyers Arms Road railway crossings. Upgrade works at all three crossings must be completed before the switch over can happen from the old signalling system to the new one.

For more information see ccc.govt.nz/bishopdale-papanui

The full closure of Greers Road at Langdons road has been extended to 6pm on Saturday 5 October due to emergency repairs following the failure of an older water pipe which burst on Wednesday evening. The failed pipe is now being replaced with a PVC pipe for a length of approximately 100m along Greers Road, as well as an additional pipe crossing Greers Road on the northern side of Reynolds Avenue. Once completed this will provide resilience and protection from future failures in the area, and the road resurfacing work can continue so the roads can be reopened.

⛔Langdons road closure at the railway line⛔
From Sunday 6 October (6am) to Monday 14 October (6pm), the Langdons Road railway crossing will be closed day and night to all traffic, pedestrians and cyclists as the Council and KiwiRail make upgrades. The closure will also impact the Northern Line cycleway, and there will be impacts on the first day of Term 4.

For more information see: ccc.govt.nz/bishopdale-papanui

Edited with updated info about Harewood Road 27 September.

A full closure will be in place at the intersection of Greers Road and Langdons Road to allow road reconstruction and resealing to be completed as part of the traffic signals project. This includes fully closing Greers Road to through traffic. The closure will be in place from 6am on 1 October until 6am on 4 October (weather dependent). See the image for detour options during this time.

This work is being coordinated with other transport work in the area:

• Harewood Road at the rail crossing will be operating with one lane open and controlled with temporary traffic lights at either side of the crossing during the Langdons/Greers closure. To avoid traffic backing up on to Papanui Road, the traffic lights can be manually controlled to allow greater flow in the desired direction at peak times.
• Langdons Road at the rail crossing will be open to daytime traffic during the Langdons/Greers closure, but there will be night closures.
• Once Langdons/Greers reopens, there will be a full day/night closure of Langdons Road at the rail crossing from 6 to 14 October.

See the works notice for more information:
https://ccc.govt.nz/transport/works-3/show/1621