Innovating Streets

The Innovating Streets programme is a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency scheme with the vision of making it easier to create safer, healthier and more people friendly towns and cities. The programme provides funding for councils to do things differently by bringing in quick, low-cost, scalable improvements that help to create more vibrant, people-friendly spaces in our neighbourhoods.

A proposal was made in 2020 to carry out an Innovating Streets project in Martinborough, largely using funding from Waka Kotahi. Pilot projects follow a process known as tactical urbanism, which is about learning through doing. Tactical urbanism allows councils to work with communities in a co-design process, which involves setting up an initial installation for the community to experience; gathering feedback in real-time; and making adaptions accordingly throughout the pilot period.

This tactical urbanism approach gives communities the chance to be involved in co-creating street design changes. It’s agile and focused on learning through doing. Sometimes things may not work as expected but that’s the point of the test!

Tactical urbanism is proven overseas but it is not yet being widely used in New Zealand. The Innovating Streets fund will help kickstart projects across the country and raise the capability of our experts to deliver these types of projects in the future.

For more information about the programme, see Waka Kotahi’s website

The installation

The concept design of the Martinborough Innovating Streets installation (here) involved designs painted on the road, with wooden structures with seating surrounded by decorative plants and artefacts. Ongoing feedback will be translated in to modifications to the structure and design, as part of co-design principles.

*Innovating Streets Martinborough: Rendering of Installation and Artwork* – *Click for larger image*

Where did the idea for the Innovating Streets pilot in Martinborough come from?

Back in 2019/2020, the idea to pedestrianise the Square end of Kitchener Street was presented to Council by a group of local businesses through the Martinborough Business Association and Community Board.

It was clear the proposal wasn’t going to benefit all businesses and following initial, theoretical discussions with Waka Kotahi, they advised Council of the Innovating Streets Programme, which provides funding for street installation trials to gain real-time feedback from the community. The application was reported to the Assets and Services Committee in June 2020.

There were no plans to pedestrianise Kitchener Street as part of this project. Council kept an open mind on the long-term outcome of the pilot.

What was the decision-making process to go ahead with the pilot?

The matter was discussed at length with Waka Kotahi NZTA, Boffa Miskell, the community, Councillors, Martinborough Community Board and the Māori Standing Committee as well as Council staff. It was an operational decision made by the Chief Executive.

Funding of $180,000 was initially available from Waka Kotahi. Approximately $154,000 to implement the project was provided while SWDC was to contribute approximately $17,000 (10 per cent of the total project cost). The Waka Kotahi funds were not available for the Council to use for any other purpose other than the Innovating Streets pilot.

What were the aims of the pilot?

To spark discussion and inspire open dialogue about alternative uses for public spaces. Create a safe and attractive environment for pedestrians. Create a more people-focused and non-vehicular traffic environment. Improve connectivity for residents to, through, and beyond the Square. Improve safety by slowing traffic around the Square Retrieve and collate feedback for decision making around a permanent installation.

Communication and engagement

March 2020 & May 2020 – Presentation to Assets and Services Committee. Minutes sent to Councillors, Martinborough Community Board, Māori Standing Committee.

September – October 2020 – Council initially announced the funding win by media release on 22 September 2020 (see media release and in the October issue of Community Focus, which was mailed or emailed to all ratepayers. The email address innovating.streets@swdc.govt.nz was established at this time to respond to questions while the project team was being established.

February 2021 – Following the appointment of Boffa Miskell as the urban designers on the project, Council partnered with them to run community workshops on 2 and 25 February to introduce the concept and gain feedback. The two workshops were aimed at businesses (local businesses, the Martinborough Business Association and members, and the Martinborough Community Board were invited) and the general public, respectively. These workshops were well-attended and constructive, with feedback resulting in the pilot site being moved from the northern side of the road (outside Martinborough Hotel and Cool Change) to the opposite side, alongside the northern end of the Square. A media release was put out on 4 February and the Council’s website updated. On 12 February posters were put around the Square showing the background, context and concept as perspectives and sketch plan – ‘Artist’s impression’ type images, with timeframe, contact details for more information. A community pop-up event took place on 19 February to raise awareness of the upcoming project and encourage discussion with passers-by. Another public workshop took place at the Waihinga Centre on 25 Feb.

To gain wider community feedback on the concept and establish needs, in terms of what should change, what shouldn’t and to identify any unintended impacts, Council carried out a 4-week online survey, from 17 Feb to 12 Mar, which received approximately 158 responses. Please see the concept survey results here.

March 2021 – Designs were displayed at the Square for public feedback between 10am and 4pm on 5 March. The website was updated about the survey on 12 March, with interim results displayed. A popup event was also held on the same day at the Square between 11am and 3pm. The feedback received was predominantly positive, with some respondents raising concerns or feeling the project wasn’t needed. Generally speaking, people were in favour of ideas like kerb buildouts and a pocket park. Further workshops and discussions involved the Waka Kotahi Innovating Streets Team and Boffa Miskell design experts working with Council staff analysing data and feedback and resulted in the finalisation of the location, design elements and approach for the pilot.

Since February 2021 project updates have been published in:

Monthly updates in the Wairarapa Times Age, Wairarapa Midweek, Martinborough Star
Regular website and Facebook posts and updates
Posters displayed around town
Survey, conducted to select the preferred design
Email updates to councillors, Māori Standing Committee and community board members

Media Releases and Updates Published:

Update: 13 July 2021 – Information Summary
Update: 8 July 2021 – Infographic of Survey Results
Update: 5 July 2021 – Winning Design
Update: 18 June 2021 – Vote now Open
Update: 30 April 2021 – Final Concept & Design
Update: 8 March 2021 – Survey Reminder
Update: 12 February 2021 – Survey Release
Media Release: 4 February 2021 – Innovating Streets Martinborough Underway
Media Release: 23 September 2020 – SWDC secures funding from Waka Kotahi’s Innovating Streets Fund

Who came up with the road design?

Council staff and the designers agreed the ratepayers of the future needed a voice. Local school children were invited to participate and came up with the art designs – the colour, shape, line and pattern ideas for each of the final three designs. The Mountains, Rivers, Dark Sky/ Stars, and Ocean- which can be found taking the roads leading from the square were all inspired by their work.

Local artist collective Ventana worked with the school kids and took their ideas to Martinborough based artist Andy Shaw. Andy drew inspiration from the kids’ artwork to create the final three designs.

The final winning design was chosen by the community through an online and physical vote in June 2021.

The co-design process

Innovating Streets is meant to be a co-design process with the community. To that end, the Council planned to run consultation while the installation was in place. It was important that people experienced the space before providing their feedback. This was the whole point of the tactical urbanism approach, and the pilot. Community feedback was to be gathered during the pilot in real-time with adaptations made along the way and tested further.

An initial survey to gather feedback was launched a few weeks after the Innovating Streets installation opened. Copies of the survey were available from Council offices, the library, or completed online (one response per person). Survey responses were also to be collected during other events held during the period. If a significant change was made during the pilot, feedback was to be gathered via subsequent surveys.

Survey responses were to be analysed alongside data gathered by Boffa Miskell on how people interact with the space. and together, the information would determine the outcome of the pilot.

The pilot run

The pilot stage of the installation began at the end of July with an intention of running it for 8-12 weeks. It was understood the installation might change during this period based on feedback, be removed at the end of the period, or continue to exist in a different form or different location.

The Council decided not to take a predetermined stance but treat it as a learning experience, on the design engineering process, and on what, if anything, could be created to improve the enjoyment and safety of the space.

However, after considerable negative feedback from the community and towards the contractors, the Council decided to bring the project to an end in early August 2021.

What were the impacts of the installation in terms of access and parking spaces?

The installation involved reducing the number of parking spaces alongside the square, opposite Martinborough Hotel and Cool Change, by seven spaces, leaving more than 60 spaces around the Square. There was ample parking down the wide side streets around Martinborough.

The seven spaces would instead be available for pedestrians to enjoy.

Road safety experts at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency approved the design to be safe and it was decided the road paint could be implemented as proposed without safety concerns.

More information can be found in Waka Kotahi’s Tactical Urbanism Handbook on what is allowed on NZ streets.

The installation was not have changed the ability of vehicles to drive around the Square or nearby streets. It occupied the car parks along the northern edge of the Square. No streets were to be fully pedestrianised.

Initial Survey Results

Generally, people were in favour of the ideas that the Council talked about (kerb buildouts, pocket park) and had people offering their services in one way or another.

There was concern with the exact location of the trial which has resulted in moving this to the other side of the street, from the Hotel / Cool Change side to the square itself.

Several reasons for that, being:

• Space for community, not just adjacent businesses – The main concern with the current location was that this might be perceived as space that will be claimed by the adjacent businesses, while the intention is for this space to serve all of community, and not just customers of the nearby bars.

• Alcohol ban enforcement – Associated with the previous point is that the area will be alcohol-free, which is easier communicated if it is not immediately connected to adjacent bars.

• Shading and sunlight – Current location is shaded for a large part of the day, especially later in the season. Opposite side of the street is sunnier but still has nearby trees to provide shading.

• Camber – The northern edge has a steep camber and deep gutter – the southern edge of the street is much flatter, which makes implementation easier.

• Delivery trucks – With a trial on the other side of the street there is less impact on the deliveries made to the business on the north side.

• Heavy vehicles – Heavy vehicles will still need to drive through the square and require generous turning space in and out of Kitchener Street. A trial on the northern edge would not interfere with this.

• Bridging the square – One of the issues we identified at the start was the disconnect that currently exists between destinations around the square, with the square itself currently acting more like a visual barrier than a connector. Making the edges of the square more attractive, accessible, and comfortable promotes the use of the square and is a good catalyst for further change in the future.

Based on the above, the project was moved to focus on the Square rather than outside the businesses around the square only.