Nelson roads on next year's to-do list

The thorny and longstanding subject of Nelson's road and transport needs will be revived in the new year, with a decision on the way ahead likely to be the first task tackled by an incoming council later in 2010.

The Nelson City Council has appointed a specialist team to help with an arterial traffic study that will "once and for all" answer the tough questions about whether or not Nelson needs new roads and if so, where they should go.

City council infrastructure senior executive Michael Schruer said work on the comprehensive arterial traffic study would start early next year and look at all the potential transport route options between Annesbrook and the city.

A final recommendation of a preferred option is expected for consideration by the council in November. Polling day for the 2010 triennial local government election is October 9.

Mr Schruer said the study to be worked on next year would be the first holistic report in a long list of transport studies and would cover a broad range of potential impacts. It would assess the environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts of new roads, and include options raised as part of the controversial North Nelson to Brightwater Corridor Study, which caused a rift between the Nelson and Tasman councils when Tasman pulled out of it in 2007.

The corridor study divided communities and prompted more than 6000 submissions from people concerned about the effects on Rocks Rd and Waimea Rd.

"The recommendation that will go to the council will be a determination of a preferred option only. In terms of timing, on the other hand you could ask whether you really want the existing council racing through a decision that a new council will have to live with," Mr Schruer said.

City councillor Derek Shaw, who also heads the Nelson Regional Transport Committee, said any decision made before the next election would set a path for the incoming council.

"It's tricky either way, but it will be one thing the council will have to get its head around quickly," he said.

The team to head the study includes council staff and others from engineering firm MWH, and an independent academic adviser.

The key MWH team members include transportation project manager Phil Peet, resource management consultant Sylvia Allan, transport planner Stuart Woods, economic impact consultant Mike Copeland and social impact consultant Dianne Buchan.

The independent adviser is Professor Alan Nicholson, who is head of civil and natural resources engineering at the University of Canterbury.

The study will be conducted in four stages, with key information being released after each stage.

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Steve   #2   12:34 pm Dec 23 2009

I took a visitor from overseas along Waimea road the other day. I was so embarrased as the uneven bumpy road in bad need of resurfacing really puts Nelson on a par with poorer nations. If you're only going to talk about a new road for several more years how about resurfacing the existing one.

Bob   #1   01:10 pm Dec 22 2009

Southern Link by stealth? We shall fight them on the beaches!

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