24 August 2007

A taste of what’s to come for Queen Street

Auckland City Council is thrilled with the newly upgraded section of Queen Street between Wellesley and Victoria streets, which was completed this week - one week ahead of schedule. This is the second stage of the Queen Street upgrade to be finished, following the Mayoral Drive to Wellesley Street block, which was completed in March 2007. Mayor Dick Hubbard is extremely pleased with the progress of the upgrade to date.

“It is a brilliant result to have this block completed a week ahead of schedule. “The patience shown by motorists, pedestrians and businesses has been outstanding. We’ve really appreciated their support as it has allowed us to get in there and get the job done efficiently.” Terry Cornelius, Executive Director of popular department store Smith and Caughey’s is very impressed with the new-look Queen Street. His store is now fronted by wider footpaths, new street furniture and trees, and a mid-block crossing that will make it safer for pedestrians to cross the busy street.

“The widened footpaths are wonderful,” he says. “They allow people to stand back and look at our window displays, and they make the pedestrian traffic flow much smoother at busy times. The new street furniture and nikau palms are also a stunning addition.” Mr Cornelius hopes that businesses and retailers on Queen Street will now attend to their shop frontages to ensure they are in keeping with the newly spruced up Queen Street. “

The shabby verandas and shop fronts are unfortunately standing out like sore thumbs now that the street environment has been improved. Some of them really need attention,” he says. The remaining sections of the street to be upgraded in the $42.4 million project are: between Karangahape Road and Mayoral Drive the square on the corner of Queen and Wakefield streets.

Work in these sections will commence in the coming months and the entire project is on track to be complete in March 2008.

ENDS

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