Davies Lane Next in Line for Revamp

Work is about to begin on creating a safer and more pleasant street for the city’s second Let’s Go Street Project.

On Monday (25 June) construction will start on a design that changes Davies Lane from a small cul-de-sac into a lane where West End School students can walk with greater safety.

New Plymouth District Council has worked with the school, students and residents on the design, which emphasises its use by pedestrians rather than cars.

“The school has been working with parents over the years to reduce the problems of having traffic and students mixing on this small cul-de-sac,” says Let’s Go Project Manager Carl Whittleston.

“When the Street Project was announced, the school and its students saw the opportunity to transform the road so that it was safer for the kids and also more pleasant for residents – to make it look like a lane which is attractive and encourages people out of their homes to share that space.”

Let’s Go and the school will continue to encourage parents who drive their children to park on a street near the school and walk, rather than drive up Davies Lane.

The streetscape design includes raised thresholds at the lane’s entrance and to a right-of-way, a double-sized footpath on one side, fewer all-day on-street car parking spaces, street trees and seats. A design on the road evokes the Mangaotuku Stream and its eels, which featured in the students’ Street Project application.

Pedestrian access along Davies Lane will continue during the nine-week road closure; however the lane will be closed to through-traffic and non-resident parking during this time.

In addition, Davies Lane will be closed to all traffic for up to two weeks while the raised thresholds are installed, during which time essential vehicle access will be available through the school via Bonithon Avenue.