Two-way? One-Way? Dunedin City Council debates potential George St u-turn

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Dunedin News

From reporter Hamish McNeilly:

A potential u-turn over Dunedin’s George St makeover has been stopped in its tracks.

A report to the Dunedin City Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee noted incorporating flexibility – from the current one-way proposal to a two-way – would result in increased costs of potentially up to $1m a month.

It comes after mayor Jules Radich called for “a mid-project review” late last year, as he was sceptical about the value of a more pedestrian-friendly space and wanted to “minimise future expense if modification is deemed necessary”.

The report to council found any changes could involve the removal of planter beds, relocation of signals, and a change to kerbs to separate vehicles from passengers.

Any change could also result in “reputational risk” for the council, the report noted.

Work on the retail quarter began in October 2021, with work completed on Frederick St, London St and the ‘Farmers Block’ of George St.

Meanwhile, work has begun on the ‘Golden Block’ of George St – the main retail shopping block of Dunedin.

The forecast spend for the George St upgrade, which is set to be completed in early 2024, was $51m, including $23m for Three Waters upgrades.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi was contributing $12m for work above ground.

The committee heard debate on how much it would cost to end that contract, to which council chief executive Sandy Graham replied it "would be costly".

Radich said the council’s report, which includes options for flexibility for the project, was "insufficient".

The majority of the redeveloped George St was designed to be a one-way shared space.


Josh von Pein, council project manager of major projects, said: “The work was a complex project complicated by what was encountered during excavation.

“We have known knowns and known unknowns.”

Councillor Jim O’Malley, the committee’s chairperson, noted 60% of the work had been completed, with delays costing up to $5m depending on how long those delays continued.

He noted the council’s argument was the same argument it was making against the Ministry of Health over potential cuts to the redeveloped Dunedin Hospital.

The project had already been debated and costed, and it was not financially prudent to call for changes now, O’Malley said.

Councillor David Benson-Pope said the efforts of some councillors, including the mayor, to delay the project were “appalling”.

He urged councillors to support staff and “get on” with the project.

Radich noted it was “critically important” for the council to have all the facts in front of them, given the scale of the project, and incorporating flexibility was not a major cost in the overall plan.

However, a request for an updated report that provides further information on the contract break costs, a 10km two-way option, minimal change from current design, pedestrianisation and a “do-nothing” option by February 28, was lost 9-8.

That meant the project was likely to continue as planned.