Hamilton's first shared zone to open in Worley Place

Hamilton’s first shared zone will open in the central city next Wednesday [6 June].

The Worley Place shared zone, which is part of Hamilton City Council’s CityHeart project, will connect Worley Pl to Alexandra St, and enable two-way traffic to travel slowly through this space.

Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker will officially open the shared zone on 6 June between 12pm-1pm. The opening will include a free sausage sizzle, spot prizes and a demonstration of the shared zone in action with vehicles moving through the area.

Mayor Hardaker says, “There are shared zones in several other New Zealand cities, including Auckland, and it’s great to see this previously closed-in area turned into a shared zone.”

In the shared zone pedestrians have priority ahead of vehicles including cyclists and motorcycles, which are required to travel at low speeds and give way to pedestrians. Vehicles are not allowed to stop or park within the zone.

Due to the lack of conventional traffic cues such as kerbs and road markings, shared zones are considered safe environments as motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to engage more carefully with their surroundings and each other. Ensuring full and safe access for those with disabilities was also a crucial component of the shared zone’s design.

The opening of the Worley Place shared zone marks the conclusion of the CityHeart project which has seen the development of Victoria St, Garden Place, Ward St, Worley Place and the Garden Place car park over the past few years.

“I’d like to thank businesses and the public for their patience as we’ve worked through the various stages of this big project over a number of years. The work is now finished and it is great to see how good Garden Place and the rest of the central city are looking,” says Mayor Hardaker.

The opening will also coincide with the opening up of Ward Street between Worley Place and Victoria St to two-way traffic following the recent upgrade of the Ward St/Worley Place intersection. To help drivers adjust to this change temporary traffic management and electronic signage will be in place in the area, and announcements will be made through the daily traffic report.