Manukau Innovative Streets (Tactical Urbanism) Project Humble Beginnings as Project begins

Written by Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Consensus and cooperation wins the day

As reported in August, Manukau was successful in getting funding from NZTA to do an Innovative Street Pilot or Tactical Urbanism in the area. The Manukau Innovative Street Pilot however, is unique in that Panuku rather than Auckland Transport is taking lead on the project but the objectives from NZTA are the same.

As this is a Tactical Urbanism project this means it anything done is through co-design with the community rather than the agency taking lead as it would conventionally.

I was invited by Panuku to participate in the Co-Design of the Manukau Innovative so along I went to the first workshop. It went very well and consensus was reached very quickly amongst the participants, Panuku and Auckland Transport. Two Tactical Urbanism projects came to the top and while the first one we will keep under the Christmas Tree for now the second one is one long known and presented a big surprise from a certain CCO when it was advocated.

But first the objectives:

  1. To test and trial improvements to the walking and cycling environment and connectivity in central Manukau;
  2. In a way that builds on a common purpose, values cultural worldviews, and utilises a delivery model that is place-sourced and led by the South;
  3. So that we are creating the trust, knowledge and institutional change required to enable a pathway to permanence for both walking and cycling, and the holistic well-being of South

So that second one which gained consensus and a surprise was Osterley Way which is the core North-South spine connecting Manukau Station Road/Barrowcliffe Place in the south, and Ronwood Avenue/Sharkey Street in the north. Basically with Osterley Way three options (that can be mix and match) came up for further exploration/testing:

  • Closure
  • One Way
  • Transit Mall (that one can work in the above two)

As I said the options are now being evaluated with the second workshop early next year to also further flesh it out before trials begin. We do have a deadline to report back to NZTA on – June 30, 2021 so time is relatively short.

With the Barrowcliffe Place upgrade now underway and plenty more urban development sitting in the five year pipeline (including the Government Manukau Accommodation Project which will at full power house 5,000 to 7,000 workers from 2024) the Manukau Innovative Street Pilot is timely!

An example of a redeveloped Osterley over the next 20 years

Looking forward to trying the stuff out next year along with the story telling that will go with it.

That surprise? Auckland Transport basically saying: TIME TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

3 thoughts on “Manukau Innovative Streets (Tactical Urbanism) Project Humble Beginnings as Project begins”

    1. NZTA requires a bit more than that as part of the funding condition. They want to see pre work done, then the tactical urbanism itself, then post implementation reviews with possibility of the project then going permanent.

      1. Ok, so it isn’t tactical urbanism it is “Tactical Urbanism”. The funding category for the NZTA. It’s so frustrating to see that this funding is essentially no different to standard.

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