Dominion Road 2016

Introduction and background | What does the project involve | Timing | Funding | How will you be affected? | Maps of Dominion Road | Next steps

What does the project involve?

Widening parts of Dominion Road

Sections of Dominion Road, between View Road and Lowery Avenue, will be widened by around one to two metres. This will accommodate four metre wide bus lanes, and more and better bus stopping facilities. The width of the new lanes is sufficient to allow cyclists to share the lane with buses.

Bus route deviations at Valley Road and Balmoral shops

Two features of the original Dominion Road passenger transport improvements were the proposed route deviations off Dominion Road near the Valley Road and Balmoral Road intersections and shopping centres. These were developed to avoid demolishing character buildings in the two shopping centres, and will each offer improved bus trip times and reliability if they are introduced.

Since the original scheme was developed 2003-2004 the need for better urban design features around the shopping centres and along the length of Dominion Road has been recognised. Consultation undertaken in 2005 also revealed that many people were also keen to see an improvement in the design of the paving, planting and seating facilities for example. To incorporate many of these urban design features, the original scheme for the deviations behind the shopping centres is currently under review. The review will enable Council to consider other ways of using the space behind the shopping areas and take international best practice into account while still delivering a sound solution for improving passenger transport along Dominion Road.

What is proposed for Valley and Balmoral Road shopping centres?

• Upgrading paving, lighting and furnishings
• Planting
• Activating the street environment behind the shops and creating active public spaces with planting, art, seating and lighting
• Improving connections between Dominion Road and the bus station.

An urban design and streetscape plan

A streetscape plan means that opportunities to further improve the way Dominion Road looks, feels and operates for the people who use it aren't overlooked, and that the things that make Dominion Road special are maintained.

A streetscape plan will provide:

• design principles to reinforce Dominion Road as a destination, with neighbourhood centres and high-quality pedestrian, cycling and driving environments
• concept plans for the deviations at the Valley Road and Balmoral Road intersections
• design concepts that allow for likely future growth, including future passenger transport
• detailed designs for streetscape improvements such as planting and paving.