More ways to move in Tauranga South, Gate Pā and Merivale

We’re proposing some safety improvements in Tauranga South, Gate Pā and Merivale to make walking and cycling to and from school and around the neighbourhood easier and safer.

Thanks for your feedback on our proposal to upgrade existing footpaths, make pedestrian crossings safer, improve lighting, and provide separate cycleways and shared paths in Tauranga South, Gate Pā and Merivale.

Some of the projects are now on hold, as funding from the national Transport Choices initiative is no longer available. However, we are continuing with the projects below:

Projects planned for 2024

23rd Avenue - Cook Street - Faulkner Street

We will be implementing several safety improvements in Gate Pā to help school children, residents and visitors in this neighbourhood to get around safely. We also know the Kōpūrererua Valley is popular with commuters, so we’re providing a safe link through from Cameron Road for cyclists and pedestrians by constructing a new shared path. This path gives easy access/exit to the reserve and makes travelling between Cameron Road and the Kopurererua Valley easy.

This work started in late July 2024 and will take four to five months, weather dependent. Work will be weekdays, 7.30am to 6.30pm.

What is planned

Installation of four shared crossings, for use by both pedestrian and cyclists, on the side streets of 23rd Avenue, including Rimu Street, Watling Street, Ward Street and Cook Street/Faulkner Street.
Construction of a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists along 23rd Avenue, Cook Street and Faulkner Street into the Kopurererua Valley.
Kerb ramps (pram crossings) across Laurence Street and Arden Street where they intersect Faulkner Street.
Some driveway alignments.

Gate Pa 23rd Avenue Map

Traffic management

Stop/go traffic management may be in place during the work. Please follow the instructions given by the traffic management staff. We will make all efforts to limit traffic impacts where possible.

Some driveways will need realignment. Affected residents will be contacted in person. Access to driveways will always be available during construction.

You might also be keen to check out the latest plans for the new Gate Pā Community Centre.

Kesteven Avenue - Fraser Street

We're upgrading the Kesteven Avenue – Fraser Street area to make it safer for our tamariki and nearby residents to cross the road.

Work started late August, and it will take four to six weeks to complete this upgrade, weather dependent. Work hours will be weekdays 7am–5.30pm.

Improvements you’ll see once the upgrade is complete:

a pedestrian crossing with refuge island and light poles across Fraser Street, between property number 404 and the land next to where the new Merivale Community Centre is being built
a pedestrian crossing with light poles across Kesteven Avenue, between the shops and the Merivale Community Centre land
a new footpath along the western side of Kesteven Avenue, from the Fraser Street intersection to property number 16
a new disability parking and loading zone space in front of 10 Kesteven Avenue
relocation of the existing bus stop on 404 Fraser Street to number 408
removal of five carparks on Fraser Street next to where the new Merivale Community Centre is being built and the construction of a wider kerb to provide safety at the crossing
relocation of the existing tree on the corner of Fraser Street and Kesteven Avenue to Fraser Street (exact location to be confirmed)

Traffic management

a temporary reduced speed limit of 30k/h through the work site and use of narrowed lanes
some footpaths and cycle lanes around the site will be closed, a safe detour will be provided
there will be a temporary pedestrian crossing installed on both Kesteven Avenue and Fraser Street for the duration of construction
traffic management staff will be on site to help people cross the road around school opening and closing hours
during construction, the bus stop at 423a Fraser Street has moved south to 443 Fraser Street, the bus stop at 408 Fraser Street is relocated to 432 Fraser Street
if required: use of stop/go traffic management and portable traffic lights after 8.30pm.

You might also be keen to check out the latest plans for the new Merivale Community Centre.

Kesteven Avenue crossing map

Thirteenth Avenue - Fraser Street

We are constructing a new raised signalised crossing across Fraser Street at the intersection with Thirteenth Avenue to improve several links to schools in this area. This will make it safer and easier for school children and nearby residents to cross the road, as well as help reduce traffic speed on Fraser Street.

This work will take eight to ten weeks to complete, weather dependent.

What is planned?

construction of a signalised pedestrian crossing across Fraser Street between Best Start Early Childhood centre on 76 Thirteenth Avenue and the corner of Fraser Street and 77 Thirteenth Avenue
construction of a widened footpath around the crossing along Fraser Street in front of number 76 Thirteenth Avenue and 77 Thirteenth Avenue.

Traffic management

You can expect some delay through the area with narrowed lanes, reduced speed at 30km/h and stop-go at times where only one lane is operating.

This upgrade is part of a plan to provide several pedestrian access points across Fraser Street. The other crossings will be constructed at Fraser Street between 17th and 18th Avenues and at Fraser Street/Kesteven Avenue in Merivale.

Fraser Street and Thirteenth Avenue crossing map

Background

We developed these upgrades last year as one of a few smaller projects under the national Transport Choices initiative. This was then put on hold because funding became unavailable. We chose to go ahead with three projects. We opted for projects in areas with well-used routes for school children, commuters, and the community to get to and from school, local parks, shops, or other places they want to go.