This takes the cake in wasteful expenditure and total lack of care about the taxpayers and ratepayers. It was primarily funded by the NZTA, I presume as one of the Covid grants, all of which were conceived in ridiculous haste just get a big slice of taxpayers’ handouts. Anyhow, this one cost $851,000 to stuff up traffic in the centre of Henderson.
It diverts traffic around the central area and obviously, there would be no circus complete without a blue-painted intersection that cost $192,000 and that will have to be repainted every 2 years at least.
$100,000 a year to paint a blue mural on the road.
It was a total failure; almost all of it had to be ripped out, and they have not stated what the cost was to reinstate the original layout, but I would imagine that the total cost is going to be over $1 million, effectively for one blue intersection with paint that fades fast. What a bargain!
Let’s not forget that this was justified on the basis of boosting businesses that had suffered due to the covid lockdowns. So how did they try to boost businesses? Well obviously by taking their customers away, by diverting them away from the central business area.
This statement from Council is a real doozy:
“It’s great that the feedback received during the Henderson trial has shown which parts of the pilot worked and which didn’t and will now allow Panuku to quickly make adjustments using public input to ultimately create environments that are good for our health and take care of our environment.”
On Friday, Panuku announced the Henderson Streets for People trial has “now been completed, with most elements scheduled for removal, and some minor elements to be retained or adapted”.
Right, so it was great that it was a total failure then?
$192,000 to paint Auckland, Henderson intersection blue slammed as ‘shambolic’ waste of public funds“
NZ Herald
“I’ve never seen the community so angry,” the Henderson local board chair said.
Information
Satire
Auckland City Council Questionnaire:
Dear residents,
we are getting a $1 million grant to upgrade roads in Henderson, would you prefer this to be used on:
- A. Upgrading the Lincoln Road interchange and motorway access
- B. Reducing congestion by upgrading road and intersection capacity around the town centre
- C. Improving the arterial routes
- D. Putting in some temporary road works to increase congestion, make it impossible to use the central area, screw up businesses, and then rip it all out again afterwards, and paint an intersection blue?
The people have chosen a roughly equal percentage of options A, B, and C. Council will therefore start work on option D next week. Some disruptions are to be expected. You are advised to totally avoid the entire Henderson area until further notice.
Have a nice day, Kia Ora Katoa, Waka Kotahi.
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