Collaboration breeds success - award for Wanganui Urban Transportation Strategy - 8/05/2012

The NZPI Best Practice Award: Integrated Planning and Investigations recognises outstanding creativity, innovation and service in planning and was presented for work on the Wanganui Urban Transportation Strategy during a ceremony held in Blenheim on Thursday, May 3.

Wanganui District Council’s Roading Manager Rui Leitao, who was also the project manager, said he was delighted with the process and the result.

“It was a fantastic team effort across a broad spectrum of specialties,” Mr Leitao said.

“What makes an outstanding team is taking the big step up. It’s the demonstrated passion for the project, the open and honest interaction between all parties, a focused commission with common goals and objectives, and the drive and ownership by the team.

“The strategy is an outstanding example of integrated transport planning and will influence many of the Council’s future decisions on infrastructure development and land use planning, while efficiently using our existing infrastructure. It also reflects our focus on a family-friendly and healthy community.”

Horizons Transport Planner Wayne Wallace says the strategy sets the direction for Wanganui transport over the next 30 years in the understanding that building an effective transport network is not just about building roads.

“Working in partnership with Wanganui District Council and Opus we were able to take a big picture approach to Wanganui transport and come out of it with a succinct strategy for an integrated and sustainable transport network,” Mr Wallace says.

“It’s a strategy that seeks to provide real choices for the community going forward, with opportunities for walking, cycling and improved public transport working alongside traditional roading activities.”

Opus Consultants Ltd Senior Planner Brenda O’Shaughnessy says that this was “one of our most rewarding projects. Our local team, seamlessly supported by a wider network of experts, was a key to the project’s success”.

“The client was clear about outcomes and together we worked to engage both the community and politicians, in order to create a sustainable family-friendly transport strategy that was relevant, useful and would be implemented,” Ms O’Shaughnessy says.

The strategy focuses on six key themes with a view to enhancing accessibility; creating a vibrant, people-focused central city and riverfront experience; enhancing the safety and efficiency of freight movement; and providing real transport choices which are safe and easy to use.

Copies of the strategy are available to view at the Wanganui District Council office and on this page (PDF, 1.37MB). More information about Horizons’ role in transport can be found online at www.horizons.govt.nz.