1 Introduction Westshore has an unusual legacy of full-width - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Introduction

• Westshore has an unusual legacy
• f full-width asphalt footpaths
• Some of these are very wide and

would normally be grass berms with standard concrete paths between 1.2m and 1.5m wide

• These footpaths are due for

renewal so there is a window of

• pportunity to change to a more

aesthetically pleasing streetscape

• Consultation with the residents is

required

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Existing Westshore Footpaths

• Kerb to boundary widths vary

between 3.7m and 6m but most are around 5m

• The history of this unusual

residential layout is unknown

• These paths are mostly in Charles

Street and its side streets and the northern end of Ferguson Avenue

Wide full-width asphalt paths

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Existing Westshore Footpaths

• Berms less than 3.5m wide are

considered narrow

• 3m berms could be replaced with

concrete and grass, but there would be no room for trees and it is quite likely there would be issues with existing utilities

• On berms less than three metres full

width asphalt remains the only practical option

• The Esplanade has the longest section
• f this type of berm in Westshore. It

is generally 2.5 metres wide

Narrow full-width asphalt paths

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Existing Westshore Footpaths

• On narrow berms the concrete

path usually ends up adjacent to the kerb

• This layout generally results from

widening of arterial roads and comes at the expense of urban amenity

• Meeanee Quay has the longest

section of this type of berm in Westshore

Narrow berms with concrete paths

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Existing Westshore Footpaths

• The only conventional grass berm

in Westshore is on the frontage of the Housing New Zealand units at the northern end of Charles Street

• The path could be closer to the

boundary to provide more space for street trees between the path and the kerb

• The picture shows that a healthy

grass berm is achievable in the coastal environment

Wide berms with concrete paths

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The affected footpaths – asphalt wider than 3.5m

Half of Ferguson Avenue Nearly all of Charles Street Most side streets

Westshore

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Proposed reconfiguration – Charles Street

From this:

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Proposed reconfiguration – Charles Street

To this:

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Proposed reconfiguration – Naomi Street

From this:

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Proposed reconfiguration – Naomi Street

To this:

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Environment and amenity

• Grassed berms are environmentally

preferable to impermeable

• surfaces. Turf absorbs and filters

run-off water while paved areas concentrate it

• Dark asphalt with its low “albedo”

(reflectivity) contributes to the heat sink effect of urban areas

• Grass looks better, especially with

the addition of street trees

• More street trees are in keeping

with the greening of Napier

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Cost comparison

• The initial cost of replacing full

width asphalt paths with concrete and grass is about 50% higher than retaining the existing layout

• Asphalt lasts longer on paths than
• n roads as the lighter loads are

more tolerant of brittleness caused by aging. They may last between 30 and 40 years

• Well constructed concrete paths,

clear of tree roots, should last in excess of 80 years

Versus

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Network Utilities

• Without a footpath to follow some

utilities may have developed rather randomly in Westshore

• Power remains largely overhead
• The current ultra-fast broadband (UFB)

rollout is starting in the “wealthy” suburbs where Telecom expects the highest initial uptake for the service

• Chorus is interested in installing UFB ducts

in conjunction with the proposed footpath works

• Other utility constraints could affect the

proposed changes in some places

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Westshore School

• The school has wide full-width

asphalt paths on its three road frontages

• These have not been included in

the “asphalt to concrete” list pending consultation with the school

• If the school wants to change,

and/or if the pedestrian impact

• utside the school fence is light,

then all or some of the school frontages can be included

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Public Consultation

• Maintaining the grass berm is a long-

established urban convention

• Some Westshore properties have been

developed with no lawns and the owners may not wish to mow “their” new berms

• Some beach-front residents may not want trees

intruding into their views

• Street by street consultation will be needed
• To be fair to all existing and future residents the

existing layout should only be retained if more than half the frontage owning residents in a street, or part of a street, reject the proposed change

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Timing and funding

• Asphalt paths in various parts of the

city are generally the among highest priority for renewal

• Westshore is unique among residential

areas in having very wide asphalt paths

• The concrete versus asphalt question

needs to be determined so that a well- prioritised footpath renewal programme can be commenced in the current financial year

• The renewal of the aged footpaths

should be completed in stages within five years

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Summary

• Westshore’s wide asphalt footpaths are due for renewal
• The full width paths are undesirable on environmental,

economic and amenity grounds

• It makes no sense to lock in an undesirable configuration by

renewing it “as is” unless a clear majority of frontage-owning residents reject the proposed change

• Appropriate consultation with the residents is required

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