A Tauranga City Council commissioner is warning that the vision for the Futureproofing Cameron Road project must be accurately represented to the public.
His advice comes as initial works on the $45 million government-funded project get underway.
A blessing of the site took place on Tuesday morning, performed by Kaumātua Tamati Tata of Ngāi Tamarāwaho.
The Futureproofing Cameron Road project will see, among other changes, a two-way cycleway built, part-time bus lanes introduced and road layout changes to side road intersections.
The works getting underway now form the early stages of the development with main construction scheduled to begin in September of this year.
'Early works will help us prepare the area for construction and gather the information needed to create an efficient construction schedule,” says TCC director of transport Brendan Bisley.
'Fulton Hogan is currently investigating where utility services are located underground between Harington Street and 17th Avenue.
'This work is mostly taking place in the footpath, with a significant portion of the work undertaken at night to minimise disruption to daily traffic flows.”
Speaking at a council meeting on Tuesday, in relation to an upcoming workshop related to the project, Commissioner Stephen Selwood makes it clear Council must give a clear vision for why the Cameron Rd development is crucial to the growth of Tauranga to avoid negative reactions from the public during consultation.
'I actually think it is a really positive development that we are leading with a transport investment rather than retrofitting transport investment afterwards, which is the norm,” Selwood states.
'But I don't think we have done a good enough job as a council to truly paint the vision for the development of intensified city urban development in Te Papa supported by public transport.
'Unless we do that we risk running the sort of thing we had in Greerton where the feedback was vitriolic. We certainly don't want to do that. We want to see the community coming and supporting the change in direction that we envisage for Cameron Rd and the Te Papa peninsula.”
There has already been considerable opposition to the plans from some business owners in the area who believe it will negatively impact their trading ability.
Changes in Greerton detailed in the Te Papa Spatial Plan also received some negative feedback, as Selwood alludes to in his comments this week.
TCC state that further updates about early works on the Cameron Rd project will be shared once schedules are confirmed.
34 comments
Disruption and disaster
Posted on 30-04-2021 18:20 | By Kancho
And so it begins. I predict it will be another Greerton that no one wanted still suffer from that was over budget over time, and disruptive . Money for green projects to discourage cars. Getting anywhere about to get worse just like getting through Greerton. You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig as they say. Public relations about to get worse , closing transfer station for half the city yet to feel the backlash.
road works
Posted on 30-04-2021 18:39 | By dumbkof2
be prepared for 5 to 6 years disruption on cameron road. $45 mil now. after 12 mths $145 mil and rising. completion half a bil
What A Great Idea
Posted on 30-04-2021 19:12 | By Yadick
it would be to listen to the people of Tauranga. The markings for locations started a good couple of months ago so why bother asking us. It's obvious it's happening. End of story. Two way killer cycle lanes, bus lanes for empty buses, future proofing . . . Of what, what exactly is wrong with Cameron Road as it is??? Apart from the unwarranted cycle lanes and empty buses. How is this going to increase the use of public transport?
Thats all very nice....
Posted on 30-04-2021 19:17 | By groutby
...for Mr Selwood to confirm we (ratepayers) will have the project 'accurately represented', but the last sentence in the article says it all for me....'TCC says further updates'..etc....'when schedules are confirmed'...rather suggests that it is decided exactly what is happening and 'we vill tell you when we are ready!!'...an attitude that is clearly still part of the TCC way of doing things.....like it or not..perhaps the commisioners have become their new 'safety net'?
Greerton where the feedback was vitriolic
Posted on 30-04-2021 19:25 | By Cynical Me
Sure was and remains so. No one has had the guts to front up out here and find out what's needed and how to fix it. Its typical TCC stuff, stuff you this is what we are doing, get lost. If Mr Selwood would like to call a meeting in the Greerton Hall outside of working hours or even pad the hoof and wander around down here especially in the commercial and industrial area there might be a lot for him to learn. But we probably will never ever see that happen. It's easy to collect the big money and blame others, it's another to do the right thing and talk to the customers and put things right.
Never Learn!
Posted on 30-04-2021 20:54 | By Equality
"We want to see the community coming and supporting the change in direction that we envisage for Cameron Rd and the Te Papa peninsula.” The community are not stupid - look at the chaos the council has brought upon us in Greerton! You can 'want' all you want but no way will any sane person agree with the ridiculous plans you have for our Cameron Road. Give the money back - you don't have to spend it!! You will have a lot to answer for if it goes ahead. Plan madness!!! You stupid, stupid people!!
$45 MILLION
Posted on 30-04-2021 21:13 | By The Caveman
AND Greerton here we come for the WHOLE of Cameron Road !!!
Learn from the past
Posted on 01-05-2021 09:01 | By gincat
The buck now stops with you, Stephen Selwood along with your follow Commissioners. With only paint makings on the pavement Its not to late to stop this madness'.
NO to buses
Posted on 01-05-2021 09:15 | By First Responder
What can't you thickheads get between your ears. How many years have we trialed buses, and you keep getting more and bigger buses. Every bus I look in has up to 2 passengers. Here in Tauranga we don't use them. We have cars. We don't want to walk. We don't want to ride bikes. We drive cars. We want roads, good roads with plenty of lanes. If the TCC had listened years ago, we wouldn't have such a stupid roundabout at Greerton. This city is so backward, and deprived of good infrastructure, dictated by a bunch of mop heads that should be in a retirement village
Helicopter commissioners
Posted on 01-05-2021 09:36 | By Let's get real
Fly in cause disruption and order projects to be started without any consequences to their positions. More democracy in action under the purview of a left wing government with a green agenda.
Mr Selwood
Posted on 01-05-2021 09:49 | By Kancho
Well seems you have kicked a hornet's nest Greerton debacle. You and council are never going to hear the last of it. It's not surprising then is it that traffic / road planning is ridiculed and the Cameron road plan not acceptable as Greerton stands as testament to your goals. I can only imagine trying to drive home along Cameron when it's already slow to see bus lanes that have occasional bus trundle by while everyone else for forced into one lane . Frustration will boil and your name will be disrespected through clenched teeth. I'm convinced that Fraser Street will also have trouble and any other side street rat runs as people try to get other routes. I shudder to think of the snarl ups even at route K roundabouts already under pressure.
Justified vitriol
Posted on 01-05-2021 11:01 | By B.C.
There's a reason they're anticipating vitriol, it's because the citizens are understandably upset. I've watched this city gradually slow down since the mid-80's due to apathy and incompetence from our leaders. The north end of Cameron Rd is one of the few roads that doesn't need work so it's in their crosshairs. Don't just grumble -contact the council and let them know what you think, we need to fight back!
Here we go again.
Posted on 01-05-2021 12:37 | By kiwisan
Cameron road actually works. What more do you want. Council..We can make it pretty..your gonna love it! Keep your sticky fingers off it please. Go play with one of your other stuffed up projects.
Futureproofing Cameron Road?
Posted on 01-05-2021 14:41 | By uli
Is your future that Cameron road is unusable? Whenever the council started "improving" it was worse afterwards. The Welcome Bay roundabout underpass didn't solve the problem since the 2 lane bridge afterwards was left but it left a detour around the Hairini bus lane for the people coming Ohauiti road. The Greerton debacle was already mentioned. At the moment whenever I try to cross the 15th Avenue I have to wait at least 2 green phases of the traffic light - and that is not at rush hour and with 4 lanes. I guess the goal is to prevent people to get into the CBD except by bus. Further as a rate payer I would like the Council to consolidate their finances before spending such unnecessary amounts. It is easy for the Council - just increase the rates and everything is fine again.
People not wanted in city
Posted on 01-05-2021 15:44 | By Happyday
It is becoming fairly obvious that TCC do not want the public to visit Tauranga. If they did they would leave Cameron Road alone. They have already stuffed up Greerton and made Hairini Street into a bus lane, even for people living in that small area. We now have to travel onto SH29A and slow traffic down on that main highway. The TCC can't even fix the broken fence on the footpath between Hairini and Maungatapu roundabouts. It is broken in three places and has been for months in one instance, several weeks in the other two. And they want us to trust them with Cameron Road? Yeah right.
Not again
Posted on 02-05-2021 12:20 | By Told you
When will these so called road planners listen, the thought of them touching Cameron Rd brings despair if they apply the same ideas they had with Greerton total disaster.
FIX THE BUS SERVICES FIRST
Posted on 02-05-2021 13:07 | By Kpnz
The public transport issues need to be fixed BEFORE these works commence. The reason people don't use the buses is because the routes take too long. Like 1.5 hours from Otumoetai to Bayfair or The Crossing. Having to go into the CBD before heading to your destination. Not enough bus shelters for rain or hot summer weather. Long walking distances (& no shelter) to a bus stop. I live in Sutherland Road, Brookfield, the nearest stop if I'm going to Bureta is by Liquor King. No express routes for workers. Under utilization of bus services will continue until these issues are fixed. The evidence is there.
A tragic waste of 45 million...
Posted on 02-05-2021 13:36 | By morepork
We can't stop it. Why would they not spend the money fixing the existing disasters? Cameron Road is not broken; it doesn't need fixing. People have expressed their concerns , to what end? Nobody will listen. This is NZ taxpayer money being wasted without any accountability or concern. All on the altar of Buses that nobody needs or wants. (A fleet of much smaller, eco-friendly buses might have a future, but nobody's looking at that...) This is another project to be added to the litany of incompetent planning and administration that commission was supposed to be stopping....
Same same but different
Posted on 02-05-2021 15:56 | By Slim Shady
The reason for the bad feedback in Greerton was not a lack of understanding by the community or the way it was presented. It’s because it was a stupid waste of money that did not achieve anything. No benefit whatsoever. Here we go again and they think if they do some flash PR and sprinkle it with BS dust that makes it a good idea. Idiots are still in charge but these ones were imposed. They are even more arrogant than the elected ones.
And, $45 million !!
Posted on 02-05-2021 20:42 | By The Caveman
Any body want to take a bet that it will be $145 million before the mess is totally created !!!
The Core Problem
Posted on 03-05-2021 08:05 | By bigted
Two into one doesn't fit. Especially with car lanes. The road narrows to one lane each way outside the hospital. This is the bottleneck. Council is better off to remove parking both sides there and widen the road accordingly. I have seen cars parked on this road all day, whilst motorists are negotiating who goes where! An inexpensive solution.
It wasn't that
Posted on 03-05-2021 11:17 | By earlybird
long ago that the genius transport planners at TCC wanted to make a bus lane in Welcome Bay Road from the James Cook Drive intersection. Fortunately we locals managed to stop that from going ahead because it clearly would have been a monumental disaster. After that and the "improvements" in Greerton, I do not trust TCC to come up with a workable design for Cameron Road. Leave it alone.
Cart before the horse
Posted on 03-05-2021 13:23 | By WestieMum
Fix the public transport first, then see if Cameron Road does actually need so a drastic overhaul. Light passenger rail, ferries, park and rides, express buses at peak times into city, smaller but more frequent buses that run on time. Where's the overall strategy to get this city moving, not ad-hoc, random bits here and there. If bus lanes where shared with cars with more than 2 people etc. The whole inconvenience of the Hairini bus lane for those that live in that area for a handful of buses that use it. This one could easily be a part time one. Fix Turret Bridge, 15th ave is wide enough for 2 lanes each way (and fix the shoddy surface). Not seeing anything great from the commissioners so far.... just more of the same.
Stupidity
Posted on 03-05-2021 15:09 | By Fernhill22
It doesn't matter how you dress this up to the public, the overwhelming response from Rate Payers is to leave well alone. Spend the $45m rectifying the failed infrastructure that you have already put in place rather than wasting it on a project no one wants or will benefit from. Who on earth comes up with these stupid ideas?? Bubbles the Chimp??? This project will ultimately be another balls up, and one that everyone saw coming further clogging up our great city. Councillors you need to grow some balls & to stop this rot before it is too late.
Agree with you Westiemum
Posted on 03-05-2021 15:22 | By Kancho
Yes some good ideas there. The reason I don't use buses much is a 10 -15 minute drive to get to the hospital for instance can take two or even three times as long and of course weather permitting. Going into CBD allow probably 30 minutes each way and often a lot of walking there has to be a better way with public transport otherwise I will still be in my car and probably tearing my hair out as I try to get through Greerton etc.
Tom Ranger
Posted on 03-05-2021 18:22 | By Tom Ranger
Well citizens of Tauranga....we managed to have the councillors removed. Now how do we remove the commissioners? There should be a ballot box in the council office where we submit our vote for who should lose their jobs. When they reach a certain point. They should be instantly dismissed. The thing is with politicians. They get hired and paid to take the fall for projects which the higher ranking oligarchs want to do. It's machiavellian in nature. No way to cut off the head of the snake. They, at best get told their services are no longer required, get a bag of cash. Then higher ranking officials just hire another (D)head.
@ WestieMum
Posted on 04-05-2021 15:06 | By Yadick
You make some great suggestions there and you should look at some way to further put them out there. At the end of the day Greerton and Cameron Road just started as a toss around idea. GO FOR IT.
DEAF WORKERS
Posted on 04-05-2021 16:54 | By tabatha
yes Tauranga does have a traffic problem, but I feel computer modelling is not the same as human interaction. Residents, businesses have complained, put in submissions for what purpose. As I suspected it was a smoke screen to actually say tough we are doing it. have the undone the mess at Greerton, no. Will they undo ny mess on Cameron Road. Commissioners one has spoken about it can you stop it happening until everything is very very clear about the future of Cameron Road. Just because central government has given money, but who asked for it. Yes the B city hall workers. Bullied Councillors now is the time for Commissioners to bully workers on our behalf.
Credibility Issue
Posted on 05-05-2021 10:17 | By Kaimai
The Greerton fiasco created a credibility issue for council / council planners. Before embarking on new projects how about Commissioners/council/council planners restore some credibility. Fix / restore Greerton, consult residents and users and throw the bloody computer models out the window!
There must be a better way
Posted on 05-05-2021 13:27 | By Fernhill22
It would be worthwhile TCC investing some money into a website that Rate Payers can easily access & to provide their feed back. This could be done by way of an Opinion Poll like Sunlive does online to obtain comprehensive feedback from the public prior to projects proceeding. The majority of people don't have time to attend Council consultations as they are working. Make it easy for people to choose what they would prefer the Council to spend their money on rather than continually wasting Rate Payers money on projects no one wants. If it requires a certain number of people to vote & the overwhelming response is no then listen to the people. We all want to see positive change happening in Tauranga, but what we don't want to see is TCC proceeding with plans that are going to be to the detriment of the community.
Tom Ranger
Posted on 05-05-2021 17:25 | By Tom Ranger
@Fernhill22 - They don't want real public consultation.
polls
Posted on 05-05-2021 19:08 | By dumbkof2
it dosn't matter what opinion polls or surveys go out this council and commissioners will just do as they please. the commom people like you and me don't mean a thing to them
Slim Shady fingered it.
Posted on 29-05-2021 15:43 | By morepork
People are vitriolic, not because they don't understand or were not sold to correctly, but because they have to live with these disasters and work with them daily. PR will NOT fix it. Westiemum has some good points and sensible suggestions, and I have been saying buses should be smaller and eco-friendly for a long time now. An online vote, validated against the electoral roll, is by far the best way to indicate priorities. Such a system for proposed projects, (a la SunLive) is just too sensible for Council (and it would mean they shared some power with the residents; they are very jealous of their power, and don't want the hoi polloi diminishing it...) So, it remains. Nobody will listen. They will do whatever they want to do and they'll sprinkle pixie dust over it to make us think we had a say in it.
It is happening again.
Posted on 11-07-2021 15:54 | By local yokel
Back in the 50's & 60's we had some great guys on the Council that knew what they were doing. I remember the big buses that were used before and after School hours but then the local bus company as soon as the morning & the nightly rushes was over for the rest of the day they used VW Micro buses instead and it worked well. These days after the school buses have done their pick-up's & drop offs most of the big buses that we have now only have 2 or 3 passengers in them the rest of the day. Maybe we need to revert back to those days and free up the empty big bus's during the day so they don't clog up Cameron Road or other feeder roads in the suburbs as well until they are needed again.
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