Thursday 7 February 2013

Environment and Infrastructure Committee meets

New cycleways and repairs to Victoria Clock Tower were discussed at the Environment and Infrastructure Committee meeting today.

Cycleways
The committee recommended the Council support University to City and Grassmere/Papanui to City cycleways for funding over the next three years. The committee also recognised the Avon River Park project being delivered by the Central City Development Unit will provide cycling access in this area. The report from staff identified 13 cycleway projects, six of them priority projects, that with existing cycleways will form an effective network and encourage more people to cycle in Christchurch.

The six routes are the University route, the Grassmere route, the Little River route, the northern rail route, the Avon River route and the Sumner to City route.

Acting Committee Chair Aaron Keown said: “Our city is a cycling city and the big win areas for getting people on their bikes are clearly identified in this network. We’d like to see more spent on promoting cycling too.”

The committee also recommended Council set aside $1 million over two years for quick, targeted projects to create short new stretches of cycleway and join up or improve current cycleways, for example through better signage or improved facilities for cyclists at intersections.

The committee also asked the planning committee to consider further cycling solutions through the southwest area of the city.

Victoria Clock Tower
The committee recommended the historic Victoria Clock Tower be restored to full working order. The 1897 clock tower is of heritage and architectural significance and was damaged in the February 2011 earthquake.

Infrastructure rebuild
The committee received the Infrastructure Rebuild Monthly Report, which showed that during November the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT):
• Laid 15,190 square metres of pavement, bringing the total area of pavement laid so far to 126,348 square metres or 18 rugby fields.
• Repaired 13,761 metres of sewer pipe, bringing the total length of sewer pipes repaired so far to 90,864 metres or the distance from Christchurch to Ashburton.
• Repaired 162 metres of water supply pipe, bringing the total length of water supply pipe repaired so far to 19,482 metres or about the distance from central Christchurch to Lincoln.

There were 95 construction projects underway in November with a total estimated value of $265.5 million. Normally, the council’s annual capital expenditure is about $200 million. SCIRT has a grand total of 567 projects underway, either in the design, construction or final completion stage with a total estimated value of $1,647.2 million.

ENDS

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