Improving access to north of the city

Traffic banked up at the Cranford and Berwick streets intersection.

Growth puts pressure on roading network

Significant population and economic growth have put increasing pressure on Christchurch’s northern roading network in recent years.

Heavier traffic on key routes has led to congestion, which has been temporarily eased in some places by minor upgrades.

Long-term planning and strategies are to be put in place to meet future demands.

A major transportation study, carried out over the past year, has looked at ways of improving the roading network to cope with the traffic demands.

This study, the Christchurch Northern Roading Options Scoping Study, has completed a series of analyses on the proposed options for the roading network to the north of Christchurch.

These included technical, social and environmental aspects of the proposed options.

As a result, a shortlist of options that could be used to ease Christchurch’s roads in the next 25 years has been identified.

These options will be considered by the public from late October and will undergo further refinement before a second — and more detailed — part of the study.

Public consultation will play an important part in this phase.

A booklet to introduce the proposed improvements will be available.

The strategies and options in the booklet will be outlined further at meetings with interest groups and at public open days.

Four public open days will be held to discuss the strategies and to receive community feedback. These open days will outline the status of the project, describe the proposed strategies, and allow the public an opportunity to discuss the issues with the project team. Details of the open days will be announced later.

It is important that the study team receives comprehensive feedback from the community, interest groups and road users.

The area covered by the study is bounded by Bealey Avenue in the south, Marshland Road to the east, the Waimakariri River to the north and Johns Road, Sawyers Arms Road and Papanui Road to the west.