Tag: NZTA

Recap: Council’s DEMP decision – why not investigate delaying the CNC?

Item 15 on the agenda for the Council’s 13 June meeting was the Christchurch Northern Corridor Downstream Effects Management Plan (DEMP). As the name suggests, this is the plan to manage the traffic impacts downstream of the Christchurch Northern Corridor (CNC) – the motorway (currently under construction) that will run between Cranford Street and the Waimakariri River.

DEMP protest at Council
A view of the community protest ahead of the 13 June Council meeting

I attended the community protest ahead of the Council meeting, caught part of the discussion on the DEMP via the livestream, and the rest through the Council’s incredibly handy video archive. At the time I was left wondering: what happened to the recommendation that the Council investigates delaying the opening of the CNC south of QEII Drive? Continue reading “Recap: Council’s DEMP decision – why not investigate delaying the CNC?”

Boards reject Northern Corridor traffic management plan? Not really?

Recap: “Boards reject northern corridor traffic management plan” ran the headline on the Council’s article summarising the outcome of Friday’s joint Community Board meeting. What happened at the meeting, and what happens next? What does it mean for those intending to use the Christchurch Northern Corridor, and for those living downstream of it?

Council protest
Part of the ‘interactive installation’ protesting congestion and traffic increases downstream of the Christchurch Northern Corridor – see previous article for details.

I was in the public gallery of the Council chambers when the Community Boards met on Friday. I also captured some images of the ‘Turn On The Heat’ community protest held ahead of the meeting. Continue reading “Boards reject Northern Corridor traffic management plan? Not really?”

Calculating the cost of the Christchurch Northern Corridor

Analysis: The construction of the Christchurch Northern Corridor is nearing completion. It was described as a $240 million project at the time that the construction contract was awarded in 2016. Now that it’s nearly done, is the spending on track? Where is the money going, and who’s paying the bills?

 

CNC at Cranford Innes.jpg
The Cranford/Innes intersection, where the CNC project ends and the downstream effects begin.

I recently wrote about the benefits that the Christchurch Northern Corridor is expected to deliver. The cost to construct this project is also of public interest. Having reviewed the NZ Transport Agency’s 2011 Final Scheme Assessment Report, and made follow-up inquiries with both NZTA and the Christchurch City Council, I’ll discuss the project’s costs as best I can. Continue reading “Calculating the cost of the Christchurch Northern Corridor”

Adding up the benefits of the Christchurch Northern Corridor

Analysis: It’s fair to say that the Christchurch Northern Corridor (CNC) is a contentious project. There are significant costs involved (both financial – more on that in a future article – and in terms of community impact, especially on those living downstream). Given these costs, surely there must be significant benefits on the other side of the ledger?

CNC benefit icons
CNC benefits from the project website

In a previous career in the technology sector, I’ve been involved in big-ticket product development decisions. These might have been an order of magnitude smaller than a Road of National Significance, but they still required a comprehensive business case. Continue reading “Adding up the benefits of the Christchurch Northern Corridor”