All Cambridge Connections options remain on table
All options remain on the table for the Cambridge Connections project following strong community feedback they want to have a say on all transport options for their town.
While the study is not complete and no decisions have been made, one option that appeared to address Cambridge’s future transport issues better than the others, following a multi-criteria analysis, was revealed last month. It included enhanced transport choices for walking, cycling and public transport, and a potential area for a third bridge.
The community was invited to have their say on that option but this has been met with serious concern from people living and owning property in the general area where the bridge was proposed to be sited.
Mayor Susan O’Regan said the council had heard and understood the residents’ concerns about limiting feedback to only the emerging preferred option.
“We understand our communities desire to give feedback on all of the options and so from today we will actively be seeking feedback on what the community likes and doesn’t like about all them,” she said.
The project was a long term vision and the third bridge component was likely to be 20 years or more in the making. Other changes featured in the options were more passenger transport, paid parking, traffic lights along some main routes that will get busier, and the closure of the historic Victoria Bridge to vehicles to help preserve its integrity. Victoria Bridge is promoted as a walking and cycling bridge only in all of the options.
“We know the third bridge is incredibly important to residents, and we have a lot of work to do before we can confirm an exact site, timeframe, and budget. This will take some years. We need to complete the appropriate cultural, geotechnical and environmental impact assessments, and gain support from central government, so ratepayers don’t have to foot all of the bill,” O’Regan said.
“While we have indicated an emerging preferred option based on expert advice and data modelling, there is a lot of work still to be done. Our preference was to be as open and transparent as soon as possible with our community and appreciate it has come as a surprise to some of our residents.
“We want the community to know that this is very preliminary feedback on what is a very long-term project. Our aim is to have a well-planned network for all users and we will be involving our community as we move through the different phases. This is the just the start of a very long journey we will be on together.”
The community had also expressed a desire for more time to consider their responses.
“We want as many of our community as possible to have their say and appreciate there is a lot of information to absorb. Given this, the timeframe for feedback has been extended to 5pm on Friday, April 26.”
For more information visit waipadc.govt.nz/cambridgeconnections.
