Agenda of Hearings Panel - Thursday, 4 April 2024

Hearings Panel

04 April 2024

4. Pages Road Bridge Renewal Project
Reference / Te Tohutoro:	23/2120549
Report of / Te Pou Matua:	Nathan Sidwell, Project Manager (Nathan.Sidwell@ccc.govt.nz) Krystle Anderson, Engagement Advisor (Krystle.Anderson@ccc.govt.nz)
Senior Manager / Pouwhakarae:	Jane Parfitt, Interim General Manager Infrastructure, Planning and Regulatory Services (Jane.Parfitt@ccc.govt.nz)

1. Purpose and Origin of Report Te Pūtake Pūrongo

1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise the Hearings Panel on the outcomes of the consultation and engagement process, and to inform the Hearings Panel of the staff recommended design before it considers the views of submitters.

1.2 This report also requests that the Hearings Panel make a recommendation to the Council to approve the staff recommended scheme design.

1.3 This is a staff-initiated report.

1.4 The decisions in this report are of high significance in relation to the Christchurch City Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy. The level of significance was determined by undertaking a significance assessment which indicated that this project would have a significant impact on the residents of New Brighton due to the very high level of community interest in the project, the location related environmental and social impacts and the costs/risks to the Council, ratepayers and wider community of implementing the decision.

2. Officer Recommendations Ngā Tūtohu

That the Hearings Panel:

1. Receive the information contained in this Pages Road Bridge Renewal project report, and consider the submissions received as part of the public consultation process.

2. Recommend that the Council approves the staff recommended scheme design (Attachment A) and tree removal plan (Attachment B) for the Pages Road Bridge Renewal project, which includes:

a. The installation of a new bridge structure over the Ōtākaro-Avon River and the removal of the existing Pages Road bridge;

b. The installation of a new signalised T-intersection at Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road intersection;

c. The Pages Road westbound carriageway lane change from one lane to two lanes;

d. No vehicle access (except maintenance vehicles) along Owles Terrace from Beresford Street to the Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road intersection;

e. No vehicle access (except maintenance vehicles) along New Brighton Road from Rawson Street to the Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road intersection;

f. No vehicle access (except maintenance vehicles) along Pratt Street from 19 Pratt Street to New Brighton Road;

g. Intersection modifications, including kerb build outs, as listed below:

i. Rawson Street and New Brighton Road intersection,

ii. Keyes Road, Rawson Street and Pratt Street intersection,

iii. Hardy Street and Owles Terrace intersection,

iv. Hardy Street and Collingwood Street intersection,

v. Hardy Street and Beresford Street intersection,

vi. Hardy Street and Seaview Road intersection,

vii. Owles Terrace and Beresford Street intersection;

h. The installation of a cul-de-sac on Pratt Street and Owles Terrace;

i. The minor relocation of one bus stop on Seaview Road;

j. Pedestrian refuge crossings on Pages Road and Keyes Road;

k. The installation of time restricted parking on Rawson Street, Seaview Road, Hardy Street and Beresford Street;

l. The removal of parking, as detailed in Attachment A:

m. Other works, as listed below:

i. Midblock renewal works on Rawson Street, Pratt Street, Seaview Road, and Hardy Street,

ii. Renewal works on Hawke Street from the proposed new T-intersection to east of Keyes Road,

iii. Renewal works on Pages Road from the proposed new T-intersection to Anzac Drive,

iv. A new pocket park with landscaping and artwork elements on the site of the existing 5-leg roundabout

3. Recommend that the detailed traffic resolutions required to implement the Pages Road Bridge Renewal project, are brought back to Council for approval at the end of the detailed design phase, prior to construction.

3. Reason for Report Recommendations Ngā Take mō te Whakatau

3.1 In 2010 and 2011 Christchurch suffered a sequence of devastating earthquakes resulting in a significant amount of damage to the city’s horizontal infrastructure, including bridges, roads, three water assets and retaining walls.

3.1.1 In 2015 short term repairs were completed on the Pages Road bridge extending the life of the bridge by an estimated 10 years.

3.1.2 The bridge repairs are now nearing the end of their repair life. While additional repairs could be carried out to further extend the life of the bridge, this would not address the many issues with the existing bridge, including low earthquake resilience, current speed restrictions, inadequacy as a key emergency evacuation route, and existing flooding issues on the approaches.

3.2 It is proposed to replace Pages Road bridge with a new resilient bridge, as it is critical infrastructure for;

· Connecting New Brighton to the city.

· Emergency egress and access after a natural disaster for the New Brighton area.

· Carrying other lifeline infrastructure to the New Brighton area.

3.3 The approach roads are below standard and need replacement.

3.3.1 Pages Road has an undulating carriageway and kerbs creating drainage issues.

3.3.2 The 5-leg roundabout immediately east of the bridge has vertical and horizontal geometric deficiencies and is inefficient in an emergency evacuation of the New Brighton area.

3.4 To replace the 5-leg roundabout, a signalised T-intersection is proposed at the Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road intersection.

3.4.1 To enable this new intersection to be operational, safe, and provide the most efficient emergency evacuation route, it is proposed that Owles Terrace and New Brighton Road have no vehicle connection to the intersection.

3.4.2 In removing these connections, traffic must have an alternative route that is safe and with efficient traffic flow.

3.4.3 It is therefore proposed to carry out intersection upgrades and street renewals along Hardy Street, Seaview Road, Rawson Street and Pratt Street to provide connectivity.

Project Objectives

3.5 The scheme design as shown in Attachment A, is recommended by staff as it meets the project objectives as detailed below:

3.5.1 Resilient bridge replacement.

· The new bridge would provide improved resilience to seismic events, increased evacuation capacity, and be constructed at a higher level taking into account sea level rise due to climate change and tying into future stop bank levels.

3.5.2 Restore level of service for vehicular access to pre-earthquake level.

· Construction of a new bridge would allow removal of the current heavy vehicle 30km/h speed restriction, imposed to minimise the exacerbation of earthquake damage to the existing bridge.

· The renewal of Pages Road between Anzac Drive and the Ōtākaro-Avon River would remove the undulating carriageway and kerbs caused by earthquake damage.

3.5.3 Improve pedestrian connectivity and cycling access.

· New cycling and walking facilities along Pages Road and Seaview Road.

· A raised signalised T-intersection to replace the existing roundabout, providing safer access and crossing points for cyclists, pedestrians and vulnerable users.

· New cycling and walking facilities that would connect to the proposed City to Sea Pathway and other paths along the river.

3.5.4 Address the existing vertical and horizontal road profile deficiencies.

· The signalised T-intersection and associated realignment of Hawke Street and Seaview Road would replace the existing roundabout and be realigned for improved visibility.

· Pages Road between Anzac Drive and the Ōtākaro-Avon River would be realigned with the new bridge location and be fully reconstructed, thereby resolving current drainage and earthquake damage issues.

3.5.5 Improve New Brighton’s emergency evacuation efficiency and capacity across the Pages Road bridge.

· Removal of the existing roundabout that is inefficient during emergency evacuations.

· The signalised T-intersection increases evacuation capacity by adding a second lane through the intersection and increases efficiency by reducing the signal phases through design and queue detection loops and radar.

· The inclusion of a second westbound lane along Pages Road from the signalised T-intersection to Anzac Drive, designed to increase evacuation capacity.

· No vehicle connection from Owles Terrace and New Brighton Road to the Pages Road, Seaview Road and Hawke Street intersection further increases the evacuation efficiency of the new signalised T-intersection.

· Reprioritisation of the Give Way and Stop controls at three of the Hardy Street intersections also increases the evacuation efficiency of the main traffic flow.

4. Detail Te Whakamahuki

4.1 Pages Road bridge was opened in 1931, connecting the city to the coastal suburb of New Brighton. The bridge is a key piece of infrastructure for emergency egress and access after a natural disaster. The bridge also carries lifeline infrastructure including wastewater, water supply, power, and telecommunications over the Ōtākaro-Avon River.

4.2 During the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, Pages Road bridge suffered significant earthquake damage. The existing bridge is currently operating at 15% - 20% of the New Building Standard (NBS), it is therefore currently classified as earthquake prone. Replacement of the bridge would improve resilience to earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and rising sea levels.

4.3 The purpose of the (Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) Alliance was to repair and replace earthquake damaged infrastructure. SCIRT developed a renewal design for the bridge focused on replacing both it and the damaged Pages Road between Anzac Drive and Ōtākaro-Avon River. The design did not however consider the wider transport network and need for emergency evacuations, and it did not progress to construction. ‘Short-term’ repairs were completed by SCIRT on the earthquake damaged bridge in 2015, extending its life by 10 years.

4.4 There is currently a 30km/h heavy vehicles speed restriction imposed on the bridge to prevent exacerbating existing earthquake damage.

4.5 Council has allocated funding in the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan for the replacement of the bridge with construction funding in FY26 to FY28. For further details on funding refer to section 10.

4.6 A preliminary ‘Present Value End of Life’ (PVEoL) assessment was undertaken as supporting evidence for the NZ Transport Agency funding subsidy, Point of Entry process.

4.6.1 The assessment follows the NZ Transport Agency template at a high level, focusing on bridge condition, and compares the option of bridge renewal now versus bridge repairs with bridge renewal in 10 years’ time.

4.6.2 The preliminary PVEoL assessment shows, from a condition perspective, that the bridge should be maintained in the short term by undertaking repairs and renewing in 10 years’ time.

4.6.3 The bridge replacement need is, however, driven by level of service deficiencies and the need for other improvements, including access, resilience, flood capacity, earthquake vulnerability, emergency evacuation, active travel, etc.

4.7 In 2021 and 2022 staff developed the scheme design, investigated various options, modelled the emergency evacuation needs of the area, and defined the project scope. In doing so, staff undertook seven briefings and workshops with the Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board. These kept the Community Board informed and involved in developing a scheme design that best suited the community and addressed emergency evacuation concerns. On 2 May 2023, a project presentation was given to the Council and the Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board prior to public consultation outlining the project objectives, scheme design, early engagement, project costs and the next steps.

4.8 On 2 May 2023 and prior to public consultation, a project presentation was given to the Council and the Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board outlining the project objectives, scheme design, early engagement, project costs and the next steps.

4.9 In June and July 2023, early engagement was undertaken with key community groups, key transport stakeholders, emergency services, residents and businesses directly affected.

4.10 Public consultation was open from 31 July 2023 until 28 August 2023, this included several presentations to community groups, online webinars, drop-in sessions at the New Brighton library and market and door knocking affected residents and businesses.

4.11 A public hearing is scheduled to commence on 04 April2024, followed by a Council decision with the date yet to be confirmed.

4.12 Following Council’s approval of the scheme design, the project team will commence the detailed design phase. This phase includes design, site investigations, land purchase and statutory approvals, and is planned for 2024 to 2025.

4.13 It is anticipated that construction will commence in 2026 to 2028, subject to Council decision, land purchase, statutory approvals and funding approvals.

4.14 The decision is of Metropolitan Significance and affects the following wards/community board areas: Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community board.

5. Details of the Scheme Design

5.1 The staff recommended scheme design is for a new bridge over the Ōtākaro-Avon River immediately north of the existing bridge. The proposal creates an improved route from Anzac Drive along Pages Road over the new bridge towards Hawke Street, with the existing roundabout being replaced by a signalised T-intersection connecting with Seaview Road.

5.2 As part of the proposed design, Hardy Street, Seaview Road and Rawson Street require upgrading in order to provide New Brighton Road and Owles Terrace traffic a safe alternative route and to protect residential amenity.

5.3 The scheme design that is recommended by staff is shown in Attachment A, broken down into sections in Attachment C and visually reflected by artist impressions in Figure 1 to Figure 5 of this report.

New Bridge

Figure 1 – New Pages Road bridge (artist impression)

5.4 A new resilient bridge would improve:

· Transport connectivity between New Brighton and the city

· Emergency egress and access during a natural disaster

· The reliability of lifeline infrastructure for New Brighton

· Walking and cycling access and connectivity

5.5 The new bridge would be constructed on a new alignment just north of the existing bridge. This has the following advantages and disadvantages:

5.5.1 Advantages:

· Allows the existing bridge to be retained and remain operational during construction of the new bridge

· Retains existing emergency egress and access during construction of the new bridge

· Reduces construction risk, with expected time, cost, safety and quality benefits

· Reduces impact to residents and road users during construction

· No need for temporary relocation of existing services on the bridge

5.5.2 Disadvantages:

· Unable to retain the existing roundabout and road network layout

· Higher operational cost associated with traffic signals

5.6 Staff recommend the proposed new bridge design as it offers improved resilience to seismic events, increased capacity during emergency evacuations, is at a higher level allowing for sea level rise, and ties into future stop banks.

Existing Bridge Removal

5.7 Following construction of the new bridge, the existing bridge would be removed for the following reasons:

· It is earthquake damaged and there is no recommended long-term method of repair to the lateral spreading that occurred to the abutments during the 2011 earthquakes.

· The existing bridge is further deteriorating due to the earthquake damage, and would require significant ongoing maintenance costs to keep it operational.

· With two bridges in close proximity there would be conflicting requirements in terms of river hydraulics and additional hazards for river users as the piers may not align.

· The existing bridge is not compatible with future stop bank levels as it is lower than the future level intended to protect against predicted sea level rise.

New Signalised T-Intersection

Hawke Street

Figure 2 – Proposed signalised T-intersection (artist impression)

5.8 During the workshops with the previous Coastal-Burwood Community Board, issues relating to the roundabout during an emergency evacuation of the area were raised.

5.8.1 Staff undertook further research into the evacuation of the New Brighton area triggered by the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. It was clear that the location of the roundabout and bridge is a ‘bottleneck’ for New Brighton’s evacuation, largely due to inefficiencies in the intersection layout.

5.8.2 Furthermore, existing roundabout crash data strongly correlates to road profile deficiencies, and there is poor pedestrian and cyclist connectivity.

5.9 At the intersection of Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road, it is proposed to remove the existing 5-leg roundabout and construct a new signalised T-intersection.

5.10 Five intersection options were analysed, these included:

· Roundabout

· Priority control with one westbound lane

· Priority control with two westbound lanes

· Signalised T-intersection with one westbound lane

· Signalised T-intersection with two westbound lanes

5.11 A multicriteria analysis was conducted which determined that the signalised T-intersection with two westbound lanes was the preferred intersection layout.

5.11.1 The analysis criteria included safety of all users, emergency evacuation capacity and efficiency, alignment with neighbouring projects, property access and green space.

5.11.2 In undertaking traffic modelling, staff carried out research to determine appropriate inputs. This included literature from the Kaikoura 2016 tsunami evacuation of the New Brighton area and consultation on the assumptions with subject matter experts from Civil Defence, University of Canterbury and Oregon State University.

5.11.3 As an input to multicriteria analysis, traffic modelling in an emergency evacuation scenario was undertaken to test different road layouts and determine which intersection layout would be the most efficient and have the greatest capacity in an evacuation.

5.11.4 A signalised T-intersection with two westbound lanes was the most efficient option, making it approximately 40 minutes faster for the area to evacuate compared to the existing road layout.

Pages Road Renewal and Realignment (between Anzac Drive and Ōtākaro-Avon River)

Figure 3 - Pages Road looking towards New Brighton (artist impression)

5.12 Pages Road between Anzac Drive and Ōtākaro-Avon River is a key stretch of road that connects New Brighton to the city and a primary evacuation route for the coastal suburb of New Brighton. This section is earthquake damaged with undulating carriageway and kerbs creating regular drainage issues.

5.13 Pages Road between Anzac Drive and Ōtākaro-Avon River is proposed to be renewed and realigned to:

· Meet all five project objectives

· Accommodate the new bridge location

· Remove the existing undulating carriageway and kerbs

5.14 The existing Pages Road carriageway regularly floods, therefore it is proposed to raise most of it approximately 0.5m above the existing road level to improve road drainage. Nearer the river there will be further raising of the road to meet the new bridge level, and to tie into the proposed stop banks (constructed by others).

5.15 The renewal of Pages Road includes the following features:

· One eastbound lane into New Brighton and two westbound lanes out of New Brighton.

· On-road cycle lanes and no stopping lines on each side of Pages Road, a new footpath on the south side of Pages Road, as well as a four-metre-wide shared path for walking and cycling along the north side of the road.

· Two pedestrian refuges in the median, one just west of the bridge and one nearer to Anzac Drive, linking to paths from Bexley to the Waitaki wetland and the City to Sea Pathway.

· At the back of the footpaths along Pages Road native coastal forest planting will be established to tie into adjacent future wetlands. Mixed plant heights allows views through to the wetlands.

· The central median along Pages Road from Anzac Drive to Ōtākaro-Avon River will be planted with Pōhutukawa trees. The native coastal forest trees and Pōhutukawa trees will encourage birds to fly to the wetlands at a safer height across the road and create a welcoming gateway to New Brighton. Without the planted median, Pages Road would feel like a wide-open road, potentially encouraging higher speeds.

Second Westbound Lane

5.16 A proposed second westbound lane along Pages Road meets the project objective to improve New Brighton’s emergency evacuation efficiency and capacity across Pages Road bridge.

5.17 The second westbound lane (along with the signalised T-intersection) reduces the evacuation time by 23 minutes compared to one westbound lane (with priority control intersection).

5.18 This will also have the additional benefit of significantly improving traffic flows after large events in New Brighton, such as the winter fireworks spectacular.

Cycling and Walking Facilities

5.19 A proposed shared path meets the project objective of improving pedestrian connectivity and cycling access.

5.20 The shared path will be 4m wide along the northern edge of Pages Road and across the bridge, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to cross Hawke Street at a safe crossing point on the signalised T-intersection, before leading to a 3.5 metre wide shared path along the northern side of Seaview Road.

5.21 The shared path will connect the proposed pathways along the river to access points to the proposed neighbouring wetlands and the proposed City to Sea Pathway (separate project).

5.22 To future proof for a potential Major Cycle Route, the shared cycling and walking facilities would be designed to Major Cycleway Route standards.

Hawke Street Renewal

5.23 The proposed Hawke Street renewal includes the northern footpath, line marking and carriageway pavement. This work will allow the road to align with the new signalised T-intersection, accommodate two westbound lanes through the intersection, and resolve existing pavement issues.

Integration with Ōtākaro-Avon River Corridor (OARC) Projects

5.24 The design has been co-ordinated with neighbouring Ōtākaro-Avon River Corridor (OARC) projects, allowing for stopbank levels, access to pathways, maintenance access and integration of landscaping.

5.25 A stopbank (Three Waters funded) beneath the proposed Pocket Park is proposed to future proof the tie-in to the future stopbank. This has the benefits of a one pass approach, limiting disruption to the community, and reducing the cost to council by not requiring rework of the newly-created Pocket Park at a later date.

No Vehicle Connection from Owles Terrace to the Signalised T-Intersection

5.26 To meet the project objectives a signalised T-intersection is proposed as outlined in sections 0 to 0 above. In order to implement this design, it is proposed that Owles Terrace has no vehicle connection to the Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road intersection as it has at present. This allows:

· The proposed alignment and location of the new bridge and new intersection (as a road is being removed from the 5-leg intersection)

· Simplification of the above intersection, with associated safety benefits

· Improved emergency evacuation time of the surrounding area by 10 minutes

· Space along Owles Terrace for future river flood protection measures

5.27 Owles Terrace traffic from east of Hardy Street would need to be rerouted via Hardy Street and Seaview Road.

5.28 Owles Terrace residents between Hardy Street and Seaview Road would retain access to their properties via Beresford Street and Collingwood Street. An accessway to the property at 5 Owles Terrace would be shared with active users connecting to the pocket park.

5.29 Active users would retain access from Owles Terrace to the proposed signalised T-intersection via paths through the pocket park.

Hardy Street Intersections Upgrade

5.30 Traffic from Owles Terrace must have an alternative route that is safe and efficient, therefore it is proposed that Hardy Street intersections be upgraded as follows:

5.30.1 Changing three of four intersection priority controls (swapping the Give Way or Stop controls).

5.30.2 Safety improvements to the intersections including raised platforms and kerb build outs with no parking restrictions. The design is to cater for a future 30km/h speed limit that will be implemented by the Speed Management Plan project for the Nova Montessori School (corner of Owles Terrace and Hardy Street).

5.31 It is proposed to cul-de-sac Owles Terrace at the intersection of Owles Terrace and Hardy Street, to make the intersection safer, enable a pedestrian crossing point at the intersection, and to landscape the intersection to visually reinforce the proposed new corner to motorists.

5.32 Active users (pedestrians and cyclists) would retain access to Owles Terrace on paths through the cul-de-sac.

Hardy Street Midblock Street Renewals

5.33 Between the Hardy Street intersection upgrades, it is proposed to renew midblock street sections for the following reasons:

· The poor condition / ride quality of the existing pavement and the expected increase in traffic volumes. Midblock sections along the full length of Hardy Street would be reconstructed. If this work is not carried out, it is likely that the pavement would need to be reconstructed anyway within five years of the reconfigured roading network being implemented.

· A pavement upgrade and heavy-duty asphaltic concrete surface for the midblock between Seaview Road and Beresford Street to cater for future loading from electric buses.

· Removal of the deep-dish drainage channels and replacement with kerb and channel for access and safety reasons.

· Design and construction efficiency in renewing the street midblock at the same time as the intersection work is being completed.

5.34 To improve public transport infrastructure, a new bus shelter is proposed on the northwest corner of the Hardy Street and Beresford Street intersection; along with a new bench for the bus stop on the northeast corner beneath the building canopy.

Seaview Road Midblock Street Renewal

5.35 Renewal of the Seaview Road midblock section, between Hardy Street and the new signalised T-intersection, is proposed for the following reasons:

· To allow continuation of the shared path from the signalised T-intersection past Hardy Street towards Brighton Mall.

· To upgrade the pavement to a heavy-duty asphaltic concrete surface to cater for future loading from electric buses.

5.36 No stopping road markings are included on the north side of Seaview Road, to accommodate the shared path and to retain the existing mature trees.

5.37 Moving the bus stop on the north side of Seaview Road slightly east to prevent the road being blocked if there are two buses in either direction at the bus stops. This is caused by the road narrowing to create space for the shared path.

5.38 A new bus shelter on the south side of Seaview Road for those heading towards the city.

No Vehicle Connection from New Brighton Road to the Signalised T-Intersection

5.39 To be able to meet the project objectives a signalised T-intersection is proposed as outlined in 0 to 0 above. In order to implement this design, it is proposed that New Brighton Road has no vehicle connection to the Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road intersection. This allows:

· Improved emergency evacuation time of the area by 25 minutes.

· Space along New Brighton Road for future river flood protection measures and more space for stormwater facilities.

· Improved active users’ connectivity and safety through simplification of the intersection.

5.40 New Brighton Road traffic will need to be rerouted via Rawson Street and Keyes Road.

5.41 The neighbouring land along New Brighton Road between Rawson Street and Pages Road is red zone, thus no residential or business properties will be affected.

5.42 Active users will still retain access along New Brighton Road to the proposed signalised T-intersection.

Rawson Street and Pratt Street Intersections Upgrade

5.43 The removal of the exit from New Brighton Road to the signalised T-intersection is expected to cause changes in traffic flows in the local area. To mitigate the impacts, an upgrade of the Rawson Street intersections is proposed. This includes:

· Creating a corner at the intersection of New Brighton Road and Rawson Street outside the Beachcomber Dairy to direct traffic onto Rawson Street. A raised safety platform will slow vehicles to an appropriate speed for the tight corner and the nearby corner slightly north.

· Separating the two give-way controls at Keyes Road, Pratt Street and Rawson Street intersections which are situated close together. Pratt Street control will change from a Give Way to Stop control to improve road safety.

· Changing Pratt Street to a cul-de-sac, as there will be no need for vehicles to access the closed section of New Brighton Road via Pratt Street. Maintenance vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians will still have access through the cul-de-sac.

· Installing a pedestrian crossing island outside 370 Keyes Road, to assist pedestrians travelling between the red zone and Rawhiti Domain.

Rawson Street and Pratt Street Midblock Street Renewals

5.44 It is proposed to renew midblock sections between the Rawson Street and Pratt Street intersection upgrades, for the following reasons:

· Reconstruction of mid-block sections along the full length of Rawson Street, due to the existing poor pavement condition / ride quality and the expected slight increase in traffic volumes. If this work is not carried out, it is likely that the pavement would need to be reconstructed within three to seven years of the reconfigured roading network being completed.

· The pavement condition and ride quality of Pratt Street are classified as poor, suggesting a need to renew the pavement. However, since a cul-de-sac is proposed a decrease in traffic volumes is expected, there is an opportunity to defer this renewal.

· Removal of the deep-dish drainage channels and replacement with kerb and channel for access and safety reasons.

· Design and construction efficiency and reduced resident disruption, by renewing the street midblock at the same time as the intersection work is being completed.

Pocket Park, Artwork and Landscaping

Figure 4 - Pocket Park (artist impression)

5.1 With the removal of the existing roundabout there is the opportunity to turn this area into green space, named on the project as the “Pocket Park.” This would include a viewing platform over the river, seating, cycle stands, water fountain, landscaping, path connections along the river, and retain the iconic existing palm tree which is currently located in the roundabout.

5.2 To celebrate this area as the gateway to New Brighton, space has been reserved on either side of Pages Road, east of the bridge, for artworks. The artwork would be developed in collaboration with Mana Whenua during the detailed design phase. There is also an opportunity for artwork to be incorporated in other built and landscape elements such as bridge handrails and paving patterns.

5.3 Where there is an opportunity along the streets additional landscape planting, trees and grass will be provided.

6. Alternative Options Considered Ētahi atu Kōwhiringa

Do Nothing Option

6.1 The do-nothing option would be to leave the existing Pages Road bridge and road network in the current condition and layout.

6.2 Advantages of the Do-Nothing Option:

· Short-term capital cost saving in not undertaking the work.

6.3 Disadvantages of the Do-Nothing Option:

· The Pages Road bridge is earthquake prone (15%-20% of the New Building Standard). It would not adequately fulfill its function in connecting New Brighton to the city, for emergency egress and access after a natural disaster, and for carrying lifeline infrastructure to the New Brighton area.

· By delaying bridge replacement, the structure would continue to deteriorate and likely require unplanned maintenance, with associated cost and level of service implications.

· The bridge would continue to have a 30km/h speed restriction for heavy vehicles to prevent or minimise the exacerbation of existing earthquake damage.

· Pages Road would continue to have flooding issues arising from the undulating carriageway and kerbs.

· The 5-leg roundabout immediately east of the bridge would continue to be inefficient in an emergency evacuation, and there would continue to be adverse safety implications relating to vertical and horizontal road profile deficiencies.

· Poor pedestrian and cycling access for those using the bridge and the 5-leg roundabout, also contributing to adverse safety implications.

· Community concerns and fears relating to emergency evacuation of the area over the Pages Road bridge and through the 5-leg roundabout.

· The perception of neglect within the eastern community is likely to persist.

6.4 The Do Nothing option of not maintaining the assets associated with the earthquake damaged Pages Road bridge and Pages Road between Anzac Drive and Ōtākaro-Avon River would present serious risks relating to future unplanned maintenance costs and/or adverse impacts on levels of service.

Do Minimum Option

6.5 The do-minimum option would be to undertake another set of short term repairs (10 year life span) to the existing Pages Road bridge, and to only remove the undulating carriageway and kerbs on Pages Road (between Anzac Drive and Ōtākaro-Avon River.

6.6 Advantages of the Do-Minimum Option:

· Short-term capital cost saving by undertaking lower cost repair work.

· Extends the bridge asset life by another 10 years.

6.7 Disadvantages of the Do-Nothing Option:

· The repairs would only maintain the current structural condition of the bridge and would not address seismic and structural deficiencies.

· The bridge would continue to have a 30km/h speed restriction for heavy vehicles to prevent or minimise the exacerbation of existing earthquake damage.

· Pages Road wouldn’t be raised and would therefore continue to flood from the neighbouring low lying red zone land.

· Poor pedestrian and cycling access for those using the bridge and the 5-leg roundabout, also contributing to adverse safety implications.

· Community concerns and fears of emergency evacuation of the area over Pages Road bridge and through the 5-leg roundabout.

· The perception of neglect within the eastern community is likely to persist.

6.8 The do-minimum option of repairing the existing earthquake damaged bridge and partial renewal of Pages Road to remove the undulations would not remove the bridge earthquake defects and the road flooding issue.

Various Alternative Options to the Preferred Scheme Design

6.9 During scheme design development prior to public consultation, staff considered options other than the preferred scheme design.

6.10 The following options were considered; however, they were discounted from progressing further as noted in the table below.

Option	Description	Reason Discounted
Replace the bridge only	Replace the bridge on the same alignment as the existing bridge.	· Replacing the bridge “as is” will only achieve one project objective, Resilient bridge replacement. · Therefore, the existing intersection or similar layout would remain which would not meet the following project objectives as in Section 3 and 5: o Improve pedestrian connectivity and cycling access. o Address the existing vertical and horizontal road profile deficiencies. o Improve New Brighton’s emergency evacuation efficiency and capacity across Pages Road Bridge. · Building the bridge on the same alignment also has the following disadvantages: o More time and cost to construct the bridge. o Limited egress in an emergency for New Brighton. o Temporary relocation of existing services on the bridge. o Disruptive to road users and community.
Retain the existing bridge for pedestrians and cyclists.	Retain the existing bridge for pedestrians and cyclists with new bridge slightly north of existing bridge.	· Existing bridge is earthquake damaged and earthquake prone. There is no recommended way of bringing it up to current standards. · Deteriorating earthquake damaged bridge requires significant annual maintenance budget to keep it operational. · Close proximity of the two bridges with likely different pier alignment resulting in issues for river hydraulics and hazards for river users. · Interferes with new stopbank levels.
Alternative intersection options	A range of possible options for the Pages Road, Hawke Street and Seaview Road intersection.	· Multi-criteria analysis determined that a signalised T-intersection with two westbound lanes was the best intersection layout. The analysis criteria used was safety of all users, emergency evacuation capacity and efficiency, alignment with neighbouring projects, property access and green space. · The signalised T-intersection is the most efficient option for an emergency evacuation. The intersection with dual lanes out has a saving of 12 minutes compared to the give way control with dual lanes out.
Three westbound lanes	An additional westbound lane to assist with evacuation during emergency events.	A third lane would increase the project cost with minimal additional benefit for the following reasons: · Three lanes out would merge into one lane past Anzac Drive intersection, which would be the ‘bottle neck,’ discounting the value of adding the third lane. · Property purchase would be required east of Pages Road bridge. · Additional lane likely to require greater bridge cost (i.e. additional piles to approximately 40 metre depth). · Anzac Drive / Pages Road intersection would require new layout to accommodate three lanes including property purchase. This intersection is not within CCC ownership. NZTA confirmed they have no plans to do significant works to this intersection, thus CCC would likely have to fund this intersection upgrade.
Omit the second westbound lane (evacuation lane)	One westbound lane instead of dual westbound lanes.	· Emergency evacuation of the area would increase by 23 minutes with a single lane out and give way control compared to the two west bound lanes option.
No tree lined median on Pages Road	No tree lined median on Pages Road between Anzac Drive and Ōtākaro-Avon River.	· Increase of traffic speed due to the perception of a wide open road. · Birds likely to fly lower between future wetlands on either side of Pages Road, increasing the risk of birds being struck by vehicles. · Active users could cross at non-designated crossing points with poor visibility and no refuge median – potential safety concern. · Loss of gateway and landscape amenity coming into New Brighton.
Exclusion of shared path on Seaview Road to allow parking to be retained	Retain the existing 1.5 metre footpath instead of the 3.5 metre shared path on Seaview Road from Pages Road to Hardy Street.	· There would be no off-road cycling facilities on Seaview Road from signalised T-intersection towards the Brighton Mall which wouldn’t meet objective, improve pedestrian connectivity and cycling access. · Probable rework and future disruption to the community if a future Major Cycle Route is constructed along Seaview Road.
Exclude midblock street renewals for Hardy Street, Rawson Street and Seaview Street	Retain the existing street midblock instead of the proposed renewals for Hardy Street, Seaview Road and Rawson Street.	· Hardy Street and Rawson Street pavements are currently in poor condition and it is anticipated the pavements will require upgrading anyway within three to seven years of the reconfigured road network being implemented. · Seaview Road pavement would not be upgraded to accommodate heavier electric buses. · Removal of the deep-dish channels and replacement with kerb and channel for access and safety reasons would not occur. · Design and construction efficiencies in renewing the street midblock at the same time as the neighbouring intersections would not be achieved.
Exclude midblock street renewals for Pratt Street	Retain the existing Pratt Street midblock instead of the proposed midblock street renewals.	· Design and construction efficiencies in renewing the street midblock at the same time as the neighbouring intersections and cul-de-sac would not be achieved. · Removal of the deep-dish channels and replacement with kerb and channel for access and safety reasons would not occur. · Pavement condition and ride quality are classified as poor, however this short street would have low vehicle speeds thus less likely to deteriorate and renewal work could be deferred.
Removal of abandoned New Brighton Road	Removal of New Brighton Road between Rawson Street and Pages Road.	· When the red zone is developed into a stormwater management area with stopbanks, it is proposed that the existing road be used as a construction access road. · Cyclists, pedestrians and maintenance vehicles can continue to use the road. · Additional cost of removing the road, with potential coal tar issues, and establishing path or road with drainage for cycling, pedestrian and maintenance vehicle access, which will be removed when the red zone area is developed in the future (rework).
Basic Pocket Park	Create a pocket park that is more basic (i.e. just grass with no street furniture).	· Loss of amenity value for community and recreational users to use. · It would not create the gateway feel when entering the New Brighton area.

Table 1 – Various alternative options to the preferred scheme design

7. Community Views and Preferences

Public Consultation Te Tukanga Kōrerorero

Early engagement

7.1 Early engagement with key community groups, key transport stakeholders and directly affected businesses and residents started in June 2023.

7.2 Staff contacted key transport stakeholders: Road Transport Association, NZ Trucking Association, Automobile Association, Heavy Haulage and met with Spokes, Environment Canterbury public transport and Emergency Services (including the local Police Station).

7.3 On 29 June 2023 staff met with the owners of Beachcomber Dairy. On 30 June staff visited the retail unit at 175 Seaview Road who were not available. A letter was left and after a follow-up phone call, staff met with the owners on 7 August 2023.

7.4 On 30 June 2023 staff visited three directly impacted residential properties; 5 Owles Terrace, 176 Seaview Road, and 177 Seaview Road. Staff spoke with the resident at 5 Owles Terrace at the time, 177 Seaview Road a week later and left a letter for 176 Seaview Road. Staff later met with the owners of 176 Seaview Road during the consultation period.

7.5 In early July, staff met with the New Brighton Residents Association, Renew Brighton, New Brighton Project, Sustain South Brighton, Te Waka St Faiths, Nova Montessori School. Staff also contacted Grace Vineyard Church, who did not respond to the offer to meet.

7.6 Staff also met with ChristchurchNZ, Seaview Road Development, and Robbie Harris (New Brighton mall redevelopment).

7.7 At early meetings staff shared the proposed plans for the Gateway to New Brighton project. Stakeholder feedback influenced how we reached the community during consultation and in informing minor consequential design changes, see section 8.2.

Consultation

7.8 Consultation started on 31 July 2023 and ran until 28 August 2023. An email was sent to 150 key stakeholders, including transport stakeholders and local community groups.

7.9 The consultation was posted on Kōrero mai | Let’s Talk which had 4,857 views throughout the consultation period. A flythrough video of the proposed changes was created and posted on the Council’s Youtube channel which had over 6,500 views.

7.10 The consultation page and flythrough were shared on the Council’s Facebook page on 31 July which reached 11.4K people, and by 23 August it had reached 30.5K people.

7.11 A range of marketing tactics were used to promote consultation to the community including digital and newspaper ads, bus shelter posters and digital billboards. Signs were erected on poles on the affected streets and around Brighton Mall.

7.12 Throughout the consultation period, the flythrough played in the New Brighton Library where there were also physical brochures and a large plan of the proposed changes for people to view.

7.13 Staff door-knocked 70 properties on affected streets to discuss the consultation. The consultation brochure was left for those that weren’t home. An additional 120 properties within the project area received a flyer about the consultation in their mailbox. A letter was also sent to absentee owners of properties within the project area.

7.14 Staff attended the following community meetings/events:

· New Brighton Residents Association AGM.

· Meeting with a group of New Brighton businesses (hosted by Switch Café)

· New Brighton Market on 12 August 2023.

· Presentation to the Burwood/Christchurch East Seniors.

· Renew Brighton Connect meeting.

7.15 Staff hosted two webinars on 10 August 2023. The afternoon session was attended by 22 people and the evening session was attended by six.

7.16 Drop-in sessions were held at New Brighton Library on 15 August 2023, attended by five people and 21 August, attended by seven people.

Summary of Submissions Ngā Tāpaetanga

7.17 Submissions were made by 17 recognised organisations/businesses, and 244 individuals. All submissions are available online or in the Hearings Panel agenda. We were unable to count an additional ten submissions due to incomplete personal details and/or abusive content.

7.18 The tables of submission feedback are available in the “Volume of Submissions” section of this agenda.

7.19 Submitters were asked whether they supported the proposed changes across each section of the project. The majority of submitters supported all the proposed changes, as shown in Figure 5.

· 188, 75% of submitters supported the proposed changes to Pages Road, including the second westbound lane for faster emergency evacuation.

· 170, 69.1% of submitters supported the proposed raised T-intersection with traffic lights at Pages, Hawke and Seaview Roads.

· 167, 69.3% of submitters supported the proposed changes to Seaview Road.

· 172, 71.7% of submitters supported the proposed changes to Hardy Street.

· 167, 70.5% of submitters supported the proposed changes to Rawson Street and Pratt Street.

A graph with green and orange bars

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Figure 5 – Graph showing support across all proposed changes.

7.20 A full analysis of submissions, including a breakdown of common themes is available in Attachment D.

8. Design Post Consultation

8.1 A scheme design was issued for both early engagement and public consultation as outlined in section 7. Post early engagement and post public consultation, staff read and analysed the submissions to take on board the feedback and, where appropriate, changes were made to the scheme design. A large portion of submission suggestions had already been addressed in the design, or designers had considered the issues raised during scheme design development, as detailed in Attachment E.

Design Changes Resulting from Early Engagement

8.2 Table 2 summarises the design changes resulting from early engagement and prior to public consultation:

Request From	Design Item Changed
Beachcomber Dairy (corner of Rawson Street and New Brighton Road)	The time restricted car parking on Rawson Street outside the Beachcomber Dairy was changed from P30 to P10.
	Table area removed from the design outside Beachcomber Dairy to prevent public congregating (concerns of theft).
	Low landscaping added to design on footpath outside Beachcomber Dairy to prevent vehicles parking on the footpath area (theft).
5 Owles Terrace	New gravel path along the top of the stopbank included in the design to connect the pocket park to the existing track on the Owles Terrace stopbank to help separate pedestrians/cyclists following the river from the vehicles using the accessway to 5 Owles Terrace.
Spokes	Cycling markings and access across the intersection of New Brighton Road and Rawson Street (by Beachcomber Dairy).
Spokes	On road cycling space at Hardy Street build outs.
Owner of retail unit at 175 Seaview Road – design changed post public consultation	Time restricted car park outside 175 Seaview Road changed from P30 to P60. Three carparks outside 171 Seaview Road (Kidsfirst Kindergarten) currently have P10 (all times). It is proposed to make this P10 between 8.00am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm and P60 at all other times to assist the retail unit with parking. To assist the kindergarten with this change one carpark on Beresford Street is proposed to have time restricted parking of P10 from 8.00am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
Nova Montessori School (corner of Owles Terrace and Hardy Street) – design changed post public consultation	One more carpark was created opposite the school, on the east side of Hardy Street between Owles Terrace and Collingwood Street. Car park was created from changing the kerb build outs and associated no stopping lines from outside 37 and 39 Hardy Street to over the driveways of 39 and 41 Hardy Street.

Table 2 – Design Changes Resulting from Early Engagement

Design Changes Resulting from Public Consultation

8.3 Table 3 summarises the design changes resulting from public consultation.

Submitters Feedback	Design Item Changed
More bus shelters	Added a bus shelter to Seaview Road for westbound bus (to city).
Backup power for traffic signals in an emergency (e.g., earthquake cuts mains power)	Added an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with batteries to the traffic signals design, to keep them operating during an evacuation arising from a natural disaster.
More carparking outside Seaview Road shops	Reintroduced two perpendicular car parks outside 123 Seaview Road for businesses in the area.
More cycle stands	Added cycle stands in appropriate locations throughout the project area. Location of cycle stands are Pocket Park, 131 Seaview Road and outside the Beachcomber Dairy.
162 Seaview Road driveway adjustment	162 Seaview Road is redeveloping the property including the driveway location. Design now reflects the new driveway location.

Table 3 – Design Changes Resulting from Public Consultation

Design Changes made by Staff Post Public Consultation

8.4 Post public consultation, staff continued developing the scheme design for disciplines other than transport and landscaping which were consulted on. The other design disciplines that were further developed included; pavement, stormwater, wastewater, water supply, urban design, bridge, utilities, construction methodology, consent strategy, survey and design interface with neighbouring projects.

8.5 Table 4 summarises the design changes made by staff post consultation.

8.6 The changes made to the design as detailed in Table 4 are minor and do not result in major changes to the public consultation material.

Design Item Changed	Details
Improve tie-in to existing driveway entrances	Small amendments to the design layout were made to improve the tie-in to existing driveway entrances and accessways, based on the recently completed topographical survey.
Vehicle tracking check	Minor amendments to kerb locations / radii resulting from the vehicle tracking design check
Adjustments to the Hardy Street and Beresford Street intersection	Design layout changes to the Hardy Street and Beresford Street intersection for road safety reasons. The revised layout includes a flush median through the intersection, realigned kerbs to provide a better road alignment, additional pedestrian refuge island, landscaping changes and extension of no stopping lines for pedestrian sight distance (two carparks removed from outside 14 Hardy Street).
Adjustments to tree locations	Trees have been locally relocated throughout the project area to avoid clashes with existing underground utility services. Tree symbols within the coastal forest are now shown on the drawing for clarification.
Added the second driveway 134 Hawke Street	Access to an existing residential driveway (second driveway) at 134 Hawke Street has been added to the design layout. This was inadvertently missed on the public consultation plan and picked up in the topographic survey.
Further adjustments to landscaping outside Beachcomber Dairy	Further adjustments to landscaping and hardstand area outside the Beachcomber Dairy to help indicate the new corner on the road and to address business owner concerns about shop safety (theft).
Realignment of footpath along Rawson Street and Pratt Street	Rawson Street and Pratt Street footpaths have been realigned to avoid clashes with existing underground utility services.
Priority Control changed to ‘Stop’ at Pratt Street and Keyes Road intersection	For road safety reasons the Pratt Street and Keyes Road intersection priority has been changed from ‘Give Way’ to ‘Stop’ to avoid a clash with the Rawson Street and Keyes Road intersection that has a ‘Give Way’ priority.
Added no stopping lines for Keyes Road bus stop	Standard length of no stopping lines has been added at the existing bus stop near 383 Keyes Road.

Table 4 – Design changes made by staff post public consultation

Public Feedback Considered However Not Implemented

8.7 Post public consultation all the feedback was considered. Table 5 summarises the submissions that were considered, however not implemented following staff feedback.

Submitters Feedback	Staff feedback
Reduction in the no stopping restrictions on Hawke Street	Between 117 to 129 Hawke Street there is potential space to be created for six carparks by indenting the kerb into the footpath, removing the berm and reducing the footpath to two metres against the property boundary. However, the disbenefits include a narrower footpath, loss of green space, and a higher cost option requiring undergrounding of services and relocation of existing services.
Reduction in the no stopping restrictions on Hawke Street	Between 176 Seaview Road and 133 Hawke Street there is potential space for two carparks along Hawke Street by indenting the kerb into the footpath, however this would require purchasing an area of private property with an uncertain chance of sale (disbenefit).
Reduction in the no stopping restrictions on the northside of Seaview Road	To install the proposed 3.5-metre wide shared path on the north side of Seaview Road, a no parking restriction has been proposed. To retain the parking on the north side of Seaview Road would require either omitting the 3.5-metre shared path or removing eight mature trees on the southern side of Seaview Road. Other disbenefits include a narrower footpath, no off-road cycling facilities and additional service clashes (higher cost).
Parking space opposite the retail unit at 175 Seaview Road	Parking spaces were investigated in the planted berm outside 176 Seaview Road (opposite 175 Seaview Road). There is only space for one carpark and the shop visitor would have to walk approximately 90 metres to get safely from the car to the shop via the signalised intersection crossing. The close proximity of the intersection to this potential car parking space is not ideal from a safety perspective due to the limited available sight distance to traffic travelling through the intersection onto the Seaview Road.
Safety concerns from increase in traffic flow at Keyes Road and Hawke Street intersection	Typical traffic flows on Keyes Road are not expected to increase significantly: the traffic modelling shows peak hour flows might increase by 18 vehicles in the morning peak hour and 34 vehicles in the afternoon peak hour. In the last five years, there has been only one injury crash at or within 50 metres of this intersection which was a minor injury crash and involved a vehicle failing to give way. This is unlikely to be worsened by the preferred scheme design.
Safety concerns from increase in traffic flow at Keyes Road and Rawson Street intersection	Traffic flows on Rawson Street will increase, however this is not significant as the traffic modelling shows an additional 30 vehicles using Rawson Street in the morning peak and 70 vehicles in the afternoon peak. There were two crashes recorded at this intersection in the last five years. One of those was a serious injury crash and one a non-injury crash. Both crashes involved vehicles losing control on the bend in the road while travelling along Keyes Road, they did not involve vehicles turning into either Rawson Street or Pratt Street. The existing layout is likely to contribute to these loss of control crashes. The intersection is located on the bend and is poorly defined with a wide-open space. The preferred scheme design is to separate Pratt Street and Rawson Street into two separate intersections delineated with kerbs, this will improve guidance around the Keyes Road bend.

Table 5 - Public feedback considered however not implemented.

Public Feedback Items that were Already in the Design

8.8 During analysis of the submissions, it became evident that a large proportion of the submissions had already been addressed in the design, or staff had already considered the issues during development of the scheme design as detailed in Attachment E.

9. Policy Framework Implications Ngā Hīraunga ā- Kaupapa here

Strategic AlignmentTe Rautaki Tīaroaro

9.1 The recommendation is consistent with the current Council desired community outcomes of achieving a liveable city and healthy environment, with a prosperous economy and resilient communities.

9.2 The recommendation is also consistent with the draft Council’s desired community outcomes of a green liveable city and a thriving prosperous city.

9.3 The scheme design is consistent with the Council’s strategic priorities; to be an inclusive and equitable city, champion Otautahi-Christchurch, build trust and confidence in the Council, reduce emissions as a Council and as a city, and actively balance the needs to today’s residents.

9.4 The recommendation is consistent with council policies and has followed best practice transport associated design guidelines.

9.5 This report supports the Council's Long Term Plan (2021 - 2031):

9.6 Transport

9.6.1 Activity: Transport

· Level of Service: 16.0.3 Improve resident satisfaction with road condition - >=30% resident satisfaction

Policy Consistency Te Whai Kaupapa here

9.7 The decision is consistent with Council’s Plans and Policies.

Impact on Mana Whenua Ngā Whai Take Mana Whenua

9.8 The decision is a significant decision in relation to ancestral land or a body of water or other elements of intrinsic value, therefore this decision does specifically impact Mana Whenua, their culture and traditions.

9.9 The decision involves a matter of interest to Mana Whenua and could impact on our agreed partnership priorities with Ngā Papatipu Rūnanga.

9.10 The project includes constructing a new bridge over the Ōtākaro (Avon River - body of water), and removing the existing Pages Road bridge, with a strong likelihood that some work will need to be undertaken in the water.

9.11 The design has been discussed with representatives of Mahaanui Kurataiao (MKT) and Ngā Hau e Whā (National Marae) and staff will continue these discussions during detailed design and construction phases of the project.

9.12 The landscape design has been based on the Cultural Design Intent and Artwork report by Matapopore dated May 2020.

9.13 Space has been reserved at the signalised T-intersection for artworks. Mana Whenua consider the site an important place for cultural artworks next to Ōtākaro (Avon River). Therefore, the artwork will be developed in collaboration with Mana Whenua.

9.14 During the detailed design phase, staff will engage Mahaanui Kurataiao (MKT) and Whiti-Ora for their cultural services and inputs.

Climate Change Impact Considerations Ngā Whai Whakaaro mā te Āhuarangi

9.15 The decisions in this report are likely to:

9.15.1 Contribute positively to adaptation to the impacts of climate change.

9.15.2 Contribute positively to emissions reductions.

9.16 The preferred scheme design supports the Council’s role in encouraging active travel and public transport.

9.16.1 The design encourages use of active modes through providing cycling and walking facilities throughout the project, including connecting the paths along the river and providing safe crossing points.

9.16.2 The design future proofs for a section of the Avon-Ōtākaro Major Cycleway Route. Once constructed this will support mode shift and therefore help to reduce emissions.

9.16.3 The design is proposing two new bus shelters on Seaview Road and Hardy Street to encourage public transport use.

9.17 The landscape design actively looks to incorporate increasing tree coverage in the area and additional landscaping.

9.18 The proposed new bridge will be at a higher level in consideration of predicted sea level rises.

Accessibility Considerations Ngā Whai Whakaaro mā te Hunga Hauā

9.19 The preferred scheme design outlined in the report has been fully aligned to meet with the needs of persons of all abilities and accessibility needs. These design elements include, but are not limited to, crossing widths, kerb heights, tactile pavers, pedestrian path alignments and grade of paths.

10. Resource Implications Ngā Hīraunga Rauemi

Capex/Opex Ngā Utu Whakahaere

10.1 Cost to Implement - The rough order cost estimate to complete implementation is in the order of $80 million. This is broken down into:

10.1.1 Estimated $39 million – Bridge structure (including ground improvements and removal of existing bridge).

10.1.2 Estimated $22 million – Bridge approaches (including Pages Road renewal and signalised T-intersection.

10.1.3 Estimated $19 million – Surrounding street renewals and intersection upgrades (Hardy Street, Rawson Street, Pratt Street, Seaview Road, Hawke Street).

10.1.4 Staff are continuing to refine the costs as more information becomes available on the requirements of the design.

10.2 Maintenance/Ongoing costs - The overall maintenance costs of these assets are anticipated to decrease as this project is proposing to renew the earthquake damaged Pages Road Bridge, renew the earthquake damaged and flood prone Pages Road (between Anzac Drive and the Ōtākaro-Avon River), and remove vehicle access to the earthquake damaged and flood prone New Brighton Road (between Rawson Street and Pages Road). During the detailed design stage staff will continue to work with maintenance teams to ensure the future operational costs of the area are represented in OPEX budgets.

10.3 Funding Source – CAPEX

· The funding for the project is listed in the Long Term Plan(s) as ‘27273 -Pages Road Bridge Renewal (OARC).’

· The project scope required to meet the project objectives exceeds the current budget. Additional funding for the project will have to be sought through the 2024 to 2034 Long Term Plan process.

· The draft 2024/34 Long Term Plan has a total project budget of $65.7 million.

Other He mea anō

10.4 Spent to date – The amount spent to date on the project is approximately $2.06 million (March 2024) which was mainly for; defining project scope, project management, traffic modelling, cost estimation, consenting strategy, risk analysis and management, property investigation, topographic survey, principal bridge inspection, co-ordination with neighbouring projects, consultation material, marketing for consultation, procurement of detailed design services and scheme design of bridge, geotechnical, transport, stormwater, wastewater, water supply and utilities.

10.5 Funding Subsidy – The Council is following the NZTA standard business case processes for this project. This will continue as the project progresses. The standard 51% National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) subsidy on eligible items is the potential rate for this project.

10.5.1 Funding subsidy remains a significant risk, due to constrained budgets (local and central government), change in central government, change in government policy statement and the ranking of this project at a regional level (currently ranked 12th in the Regional Land Transport Plan).

10.6 Integrated Projects – These are other projects within the Pages Road Bridge Renewal project area, and which can be more efficiently included in the construction works providing a one pass approach. Integrated projects include; 3W asset renewals, stopbanks tie-in and major cycle route. The rough order estimated cost to implement the integrated projects is anticipated to be $14 million. This is subject to funding being available for the separate projects in the appropriate Activity Plan as part of the 2024/34 Long Term Plan.

11. Legal Implications Ngā Hīraunga ā-Ture

Statutory power to undertake proposals in the report Te Manatū Whakahaere Kaupapa

11.1 Council has the statutory power and is the decision-making authority for Pages Road Bridge Renewal project as the project is of Metropolitan Significance (Council Resolved Substantive Motion CNCL/2020/00034). It is the role of the Hearings Panel to consider and hear submissions from the community and information provided by Council officers, deliberate on the matters raised, and make recommendations to the Council as the final decision-maker.

Other Legal Implications Ētahi atu Hīraunga-ā-Ture

11.2 There is no other legal context, issue, or implication relevant to this decision.

12. Risk Management Implications Ngā Hīraunga Tūraru

12.1 The risks associated with this project and the decision-making process are considered to vary between moderate and high as detailed below.

Risk	Rating	Consequence	Mitigation
Unable to obtain NZTA subsidy	High	Higher than expected ratepayer contribution Delay of project delivery. Reduction in project scope delivered and unable to achieve all project objectives.	Staff at both Christchurch City Council and the NZ Transport Agency are working together to ensure the point of entry and associated business case have all the correct information, and that the assumptions built into the analysis are robust, this will support the application for funding.
Proceeding with the detailed design phase before the business case is drafted and accepted by NZTA for central government subsidy	High	Business case could conclude that an alternative option is more economical than the preferred scheme design, causing programme delays, re-litigation of project scope and redesign (additional cost). Unable to claim NZTA subsidy for designs done before business case.	Accept the risk and proceed with the detailed design phase in parallel to drafting the business case and seeking the NZTA subsidy.
Unable to obtain the additional funding required to undertake the preferred scheme design in order to meet the project objectives.	High	Significant delays, higher than expected ratepayer contribution, need to re-litigate scope, unable to meet project objective(s) and/or unable to proceed with project.	Local Government Funding: Additional funding is being sought through the Long Term Plan 2024 – 2034 process. Central Government Subsidy: As above for risk “Unable to obtain NZTA subsidy”.
Decision not to proceed or partial delivery only.	High	Bridge would remain earthquake damaged. New Brighton would not have a resilient lifelines bridge. Road profile deficiencies, poor pedestrian and cycling access would remain. Emergency evacuation time would not be improved. Detour inefficiencies and safety issues. Criticism from community and media. Expectations are set by consultation and community are seeking investment in the east.	Staff to provide comprehensive report to Hearings Panel in order that Councillors can make an informed decision.
No space for future stopbanks if Owles Terrace and New Brighton Road diversions don’t get approved with the preferred scheme design.	High	The type and location of future stopbanks would need to be revised, likely resulting in greater cost for council and a less resilient stopbank.	Staff to provide comprehensive report to Hearings Panel in order that Councillors can make an informed decision about Owles Terrace and New Brighton Road diversions.
Problems with statutory approvals including obtaining consents to work in/over/adjacent to a tidal river.	High	Programme delay and additional costs. Unable to proceed with project or aspects of project.	Staff to work closely with CCC planners and ECan planners. Take time to ensure a robust consent application.
Key partner influence on the project including Ōtākaro-Avon River Corridor (OARC) Co-Governance, Mana Whenua and Utilities.	Medium	Programme delay and additional costs.	Staff to consult with key partners and keep them updated.

13. Next Steps Ngā Mahinga ā-muri

13.1 Following the Hearings Panel’s consideration of this report and submissions received, the Panel may seek further information of the project team, if it considers it necessary, and then report to the Council for a decision on the recommended option.

13.2 Upon Council approval of the preferred scheme design, the project team will commence detailed design.

13.3 It is anticipated that construction of this project will commence in 2026 – 2028 subject to Council approval, in Q1 of 2024, statutory approvals and funding approvals.

Attachments Ngā Tāpirihanga

No.	Title	Reference	Page
a ⇩	Preferred Scheme Design Plan for Council Decision (General Overview Drawing)	23/2128612	34
b ⇩	Tree Removal Plan for Council Decision (on General Arrangement Drawing)	23/2128613	35
c ⇩	Project Scope Breakdown for Hearings Report	23/2128614	36
d ⇩	Full Submission Analysis - Gateway to New Brighton	23/2091819	37
e ⇩	Submitter Ideas and Issues with Staff Responses	23/2111873	45

In addition to the attached documents, the following background information is available:

Document Name – Location / File Link

· Kōrero mai | Let’s Talk (Consultation webpage): https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/pagesroadbridge

Please note, higher resolution images of the Preferred Scheme Design Plan are available through the above link.

· Fly through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Aszl-98Yec&

· Newsline Article: https://newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/gateway-to-new-brighton-plan-for-christchurchs-east-revealed

Confirmation of Statutory Compliance Te Whakatūturutanga ā-Ture

Compliance with Statutory Decision-making Requirements (ss 76 - 81 Local Government Act 2002).

(a) This report contains:

(i) sufficient information about all reasonably practicable options identified and assessed in terms of their advantages and disadvantages; and

(ii) adequate consideration of the views and preferences of affected and interested persons bearing in mind any proposed or previous community engagement.

(b) The information reflects the level of significance of the matters covered by the report, as determined in accordance with the Council's significance and engagement policy.

Signatories Ngā Kaiwaitohu

Authors

Nathan Sidwell - Project Manager

Krystle Anderson - Engagement Advisor

Approved By

Jacob Bradbury - Manager Planning & Delivery Transport

Lynette Ellis - Head of Transport & Waste Management

Jane Parfitt - Interim General Manager Infrastructure, Planning and Regulatory Services

5. Volume of Submissions - Pages Road Bridge Renewal Project
Reference / Te Tohutoro:	24/397974
Report of / Te Pou Matua:	Simone Gordon, Democratic Services Advisor, simone.gordon@ccc.govt.nz
Senior Manager / Pouwhakarae:	Lynn McClelland, Assistant Chief Executive Strategic Policy and Performance