Active Whakatāne (Salonika and Crete Street, and Pouwhare and Hikurangi Neighbourhood Greenways)

Our Active Whakatāne strategy aims to make walking, cycling and scootering around our district safer and easier.

As part of this strategy, we're creating neighbourhood greenways that encourage lower traffic speeds, encourage more walking and cycling and make our neighbourhoods safer for everyone.

We want your feedback on two proposed greenways in the Salonika and Crete Streets neighbourhood, and the Pouwhare and Hikurangi Streets neighbourhood.

Salonika and Crete Streets Neighbourhood Greenway

Through this proposed greenway we're hoping to make it safer and easier for kids to get to school and to provide safer, easier access for everyone across Goulstone Road and on to Rex Morpeth Park, the aquatic centre and other destinations.

Key features of the proposed greenway:

Raised platform crossings at intersections

These are designed to slow vehicles and make crossing easier for pedestrians. We are proposing to install these at the intersections of King and Salonika Streets.

We are also looking at putting a raised platform across Salonika Street at the entrance to Saint Joseph’s School field to make the crossing here safer and easier.

Raised intersection and crossing at Goulstone Road and Crete St intersection

This intersection is on a tight corner with limited visibility where traffic speeds can be unpredictable, ranging from slow to wheel skidding fast. It can be hard for people to cross the road to reach Rex Morpeth Park.

Raising the intersection will slow the traffic, realigning the kerbs will make the crossing distance shorter and slow traffic further, while the courtesy crossing will provide one clear and obvious place where people can cross. These changes will make it safer for pedestrians and vehicles.

Pouwhare and Hikurangi Streets Neighbourhood

Over the years we have received concerns and complaints from residents regarding high speeds and rat-running (when people use local roads as shortcuts).

Many people also use the area to access the Warren Cole walkway and high speeds are a safety issue for them too.

Key features of the proposed greenway:

We will be monitoring the speed of vehicles in the area to see if they are successful if they are implemented.

Raised platforms at intersections

These are designed to slow vehicles and make crossing easier for pedestrians. We are proposing to install these at the Landing Road the Pouwhare Street intersection, the Hikurangi and Pouwhare Streets intersection and the Hikurangi Street and Eivers Road intersection.

Kerb Extensions

Essentially this means narrowing the road space to make vehicle travel more predictable and reduce speeds. This is done in conjunction with the raised platforms above.

Curtesy crossing

To make it easier to access Warren Park we are also proposing to install a courtesy crossing across Eivers Road to the rose garden.