Several of Tauranga’s neighbourhoods are set for some improvements to make it easier for the community to cycle, catch a bus, or walk to key places like schools, shops, local parks and playgrounds, and the city centre.

Tauranga City Council is planning to upgrade and widen a number of existing footpaths, make pedestrian crossings safer, and install cycleways and shared paths in Tauranga South, Gate Pā, Greerton, and Merivale. As well as making it safer to get around, it’s better for the environment if there are more ways for people to move around the city.

The works will be happening in clusters of areas close to schools and parks, such as Thirteenth Avenue, Sixteenth Avenue, Twentythird Avenue/Faulkner Street and around Pooles Road in Greerton. While the planned works aren’t large, they are spread out across the area.

Before work starts, Council wants to hear from people who live in or travel through these areas to ensure it’s on the right track.

Tauranga City Council Director of Transport, Brendan Bisley, says this project will help give people more ways to move in these suburbs and provide better connections across this part of the city.

“In 2022, we talked with hapū, local community representatives and schools in the various areas about how to make walking and cycling to and from school, around the neighbourhood, to key access routes, like Cameron Road, and into the city easier and safer.

“These groups told us that improving safety and connections to and from schools, and improving footpaths, cycleways and crossing facilities, would be beneficial.

“All this input has been incorporated into our current plans, but we want to check in with the wider community to ensure we have a fair balance of everyone’s needs.”

These planned improvements will mean some changes for people living on and travelling through these areas, including being aware of new elements on the road, such as the cycleways and shared paths. In a few areas, on-street car parking will need to be removed to make it safe for people using cycleways or to make room for pedestrian crossings.

Construction for this project is planned to start in September 2023, and completion is expected in mid to late-2024, depending on the weather and other factors outside of Council’s control.

An online survey with all of the plans, maps and consultation drawings is available until 5pm Friday, 21 July, at letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/more-ways-to-move.

Additional information

Transport Choices

• This project is one of two Tauranga-based projects that will be funded through the Waka Kotahi Transport Choices programme, part of the national Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) programme.
• The programme aims to reduce land transport emissions by 41 per cent by 2035, achieved by reducing our dependency on cars in favour of walking, cycling and public transport.
• Ninety-five per cent of the project costs will be funded by Waka Kotahi and 5 per cent through rates by Tauranga City Council.

For more information, visit www.nzta.govt.nz/transport-choices.

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