Ōtepoti’s Retail Quarter upgrade is moving into a busy phase, with infrastructure renewals and other improvements about to get underway on Great King Street.
DCC Central City Plan Project Director Dr Glen Hazelton says that with Filleul Street and Frederick Street now open to traffic, work will begin on Great King Street’s hospital block on Monday, 13 June, and on Great King Street’s Centre City Mall block during the week starting Monday, 20 June.
Dr Hazelton says the Great King Street work involves the replacement of old underground pipes, followed by above-ground improvements such as new footpaths, streetlights, and street furniture. Pipe renewal work on both blocks is expected to run until the end of the year.
“Our priority during construction on Great King Street is to maintain access to and from Dunedin Hospital, as well as businesses and car parking facilities in the area,” he says.
“These blocks of Great King St will remain open to one-way southbound traffic, throughout the construction period. This means vehicles accessing the main hospital entrance or emergency department need to enter Great King St from Frederick St, while the Centre City Mall carpark and DCC Great King St car parking building can be accessed by vehicle from the Hanover St end.”
The DCC is working with the Southern District Health Board and other businesses in the area to communicate these traffic management arrangements to the public.
On George Street, work on the Farmers Block (between St Andrew St and Moray Place) is also continuing. Pipe renewals have been completed on the eastern side of the block and work is underway to replace pipes on the western side. Night closures at the St Andrew Street/George Street intersection (approximately 13-26 June) and a closure of the Moray Place/George Street intersection (approximately 27 June – 8 July) will be required to finish the pipe replacements.
Once all the pipe renewals are complete, above ground improvements will begin, with the Farmers Block expected to be finished in October.
“We understand the disruption the construction can cause, particularly when there is work happening at different sites at the same time,” Dr Hazelton says. “We are doing our best to coordinate work and minimise disruptions, while at the same time rolling out marketing initiatives aimed at encouraging people to keep supporting businesses in the area.”
With Filleul Street now open, traffic wanting to avoid roadworks on George Street and Great King Street can use this street as a detour.
More information about the project is online at www.dunedin.govt.nz/totally-georgeous.
More information about the impact on bus routes and stops is at www.orc.govt.nz/public-transport/notifications-and-alerts.