Cambridge Connections drop in meeting
Waipā District Council will decide next month which transport problems it wishes a reset Cambridge Connections project to resolve.
Before then Cambridge Connections executive director Katie Mayes will bring the new council up to speed at a workshop being held after tomorrow’s (Friday) council meeting.
Katie Mayes
Mayes told The News the council had sought public feedback on the reset project thorough late September and October and there was strong support for a third bridge to balance access between Cambridge and Leamington.
“By the end of next year we will have identified an area where another bridge will go,” she said.
The project is being reset after public backlash to a proposed third Waikato River crossing signified by a blue blob in residential neighbourhoods.
“It will only be a general area. It might not be blue, but it is still going to be a blob. The council is acutely aware that they want to give certainty to the community as quickly as they can.”
Mike Pettit
The council was looking to make a decision in two to three years. Mayes hoped that time could bring certainty to the town as soon as possible.
That is a sentiment shared by new mayor Mike Pettit, who said two years was too long for him … ‘it needs to be as quick as possible, but we’re also doing it correctly.”
Cambridge Business Chamber chief executive Kelly Bouzaid said the chamber welcomed progress on Cambridge Connections.
“The current challenges are easy to identify. Congestion at peak times, limited parking, and the lack of alternative routes across the river are putting pressure on our network,” she said.
Kelly Bouzaid
“Freight and service vehicles are sharing the same corridors as parents on school runs, cyclists, and visitors, creating inefficiencies and safety concerns.
“We support council’s approach to first ask what problems need solving, before leaping to solutions.”
The priorities were clear for the business community: improving access and traffic flow on and off State Highway 1; better connections between Hautapu, Leamington, and the CBD; balanced parking options for retailers and visitors; and futureproofed planning to accommodate Cambridge’s growth.
“Cambridge’s prosperity relies on people and goods being able to move safely and efficiently,” Bouzaid said.
Katie Mayes – Waipa District Council Cambridge Connections reset. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
