You may have noticed the recent roadworks in Duncan Street just south of Tawa College. This is to do with construction of the path for the Tawa Walkway project. The first stage is to widen the footpath in Duncan St - from about Tawa Station to opposite the College driveway - to a 3m walkway. For some of that stretch there isn't enough room off the roadway to make the walkway that wide. Consequently the new footpath/walkway is encroaching onto the road, which has resulted in the roadway being narrowed by 1.5m.

It seems that no-one locally knew that narrowing of Duncan St at this point was going to take place. And not everyone thinks it's a good idea, bearing in mind the 'diabolical' traffic situation that regularly arises with traffic at the end of each school day, particularly when it's wet and there are even more cars parked there than usual. Various bods including Tawa College representatives and Tawa Community Board members met with WCC traffic engineers on site last Wednesday (19 January) to review the situation. As a result, the Council did agree that narrowing of the road would stop well before the College, rather than the road being narrowed all the way up to the parking bay opposite the College.

As it is, there will be yellow lines in place to stop cars parking on the western side of the narrowed road (the side closest to the railway line). This will result in the loss of a number of parking spaces on that side of the road. However the Council contends that the narrowed road could actually improve the traffic situation at this point. Previously there was a gap of approx 4.5m for opposing traffic to get through if there were cars parked on both sides of the road. With the road having been narrowed and cars being able to park on only one side of the road, the gap for opposing traffic to get through will now become approx 5m. But that will still mean a schoolbus and the likes of an oncoming SUV (or even smaller) won't be able to pass at the same time.

We'll be watching with interest to see how things actually pan out when school starts again!

[Click on the pics to enlarge]