With elections looming the Franklin Local Board has just $485 in its Transport Capital Fund to hand over to the incoming board.
The board has committed $2,855,965 of its $2,856,450 budget to projects that saw extensive kerb and channel work completed around Beachlands’ First and Second View avenues, and where the town centre gardens were also upgraded.
Those projects cost more than $900,000 and another $1.2 million has been committed to more kerb and channel work in the same area, and at Shelley Bay and Karaka roads. Firm cost estimates and preliminary designs go to the new board next February.
Another $80,000 has been committed for electronic warning signs being trialled by the New Zealand Transport Authority for the Tourist Road-Monument Road intersection accident blackspot, and $180,000 for Station Road parking and pedestrian plans in Pukekohe.
The board approved the intersection project but because the trial was not accepting more sites, reserved the funding until results were known.
Firm costs for Station Road identified a funding shortfall but in June the board was able to commit $320,000 from its Auckland Transport Community Safety Fund to guarantee the project, which is now being progressed for delivery.
The $20 million safety fund is allocated across all 21 local boards, with $5 million in the 2019/2020 financial year and $15 million over 2020/2021.
In Franklin that has also seen funding for intersection improvements centred on Gun Club Road, at Queen Street and Victoria Avenue, and at Racecourse and Kitchener roads. There are also improvements on Taurangaruru Road and pedestrian crossings for Clevedon village and Patumahoe’s Woodhouse Road.
