Streets for People

• Project typeAdaptive urban design – trialling streetscape changes – building partnerships with the community
• Project value$1.27 million
• Completion Date31 May 2024

Have your say

To submit feedback on the recent changes being trialled on central Guyton Street and/or the St Hill Street Public Transport Hub, visit our Streets for People Have Your Say page.

 

Project overview

In September 2022, council secured $1.27M of central government funding through Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's 'Streets for People' programme for two town centre projects - streetscape improvements on central Guyton Street and a new public transport hub on lower St Hill Street.

Streets for People funding enabled council to work in partnership with the community to co-design streetscape projects to:

• improve public transport connections
• enhance safety and convenience for pedestrians and cyclists
• make our streets more inviting, people-friendly spaces.

The infrastructure used for these projects is all semi-permanent (so that elements can changed or removed). Depending on community feedback over the course of the trial, some of the elements could eventually become permanent.

Funding from Waka Kotahi has covered 90 percent of the project costs, with the council covering the remaining 10 percent (largely from our business-as-usual road maintenance budget).

 

 

Guyton Street – streetscape improvements

In 2023, Council held a series of community co-design workshops to discuss a range of streetscape improvements to make central Guyton Street safer and more vibrant and people-friendly. The recurring themes were that people wanted the street to be safer (especially for pedestrians and cyclists), more accessible, greener, and more vibrant – with community art reflecting Whanganui’s unique cultural identity.

Based on that feedback, the first phase of works on Guyton Street began in December 2023, with a focus on improving road safety. That work has now been completed, with changes to the road layout now in place including:

• a roundabout at the intersection Guyton and Wicksteed streets
• a range of traffic calming measures
• the introduction of ‘green stop boxes’ to improve safety for cyclists
• removing the three-lane system at the Victoria Ave intersection and returning to simpler two-lane system

The next phase of work, carried out over March/April, was the installation of streetscape features, including:

• a new community greenspace at 94 Guyton Street
• street furniture (made from recycled or repurposed timber)
• a range of hardy, native plantings in planter boxes
• bike racks
• a range of community artworks - including lightboxes displaying works by local artists
• heritage and art decals adorning window fronts of untenanted buildings.

 

Lower St Hill Street – public transport hub

The lower St Hill Street project supports public transport use in Whanganui, tying in with Te Ngaru The Tide – the frequent bus route route launched in 2023 after a collaboration between Whanganui District Council and Horizons Regional Council.

Council gathered community feedback and design input to inform the design of a new public transport hub next to the Trafalgar Square carpark. This area, adjacent to the Countdown supermarket, acts as the terminus for the high frequency bus route.

The goal was to create a functional, visually attractive space where people can relax and take shelter while waiting for their connecting bus. The new space includes:

• street furniture (made from recycled timber)
• bike racks
• a range of planter boxes with native plants
• artwork celebrating Whanganui, our environment and public transport.

The public transport hub is part of a broader move to make public transport easier to use and more accessible in our region – with Horizons having also recently installed or upgraded 17 bus shelters across the Whanganui network. 

 

For more information about the Streets for People programme, please email streetsforpeople@whanganui.govt.nz or visit the Streets for People page on the Waka Kotahi website. 

 

Contact details

Location

Guyton and St Hill Street, Whanganui 4500  View Map

Images