This is a quick dump of transport-related photos I’ve taken recently around Ōtautahi Christchurch.
I’m very excited to see construction start on the Halswell Road bus lanes.And it’s not just because of the bus lanes. Several new signalised crossings will mean school kids and Mum’s with bubs on their backs won’t have to frantically scurry across the road between trucks for too much longer. This scene almost made me have a heart attack.I tried out the new Tu Waka Waipapa hospital parking building this week. Nothing much to report other than that it’s still mostly empty despite them dropping the price.A classic example of beautifully designed sweeping paths losing out to people’s natural desire lines at Centennial Park.I’ve noticed car exhaust fumes way more this winter for some reason. I don’t know if it’s getting worse or I’m just getting older. Either way it’s a massive problem.I found it quite humourous watching the tram trying to push through the crowd at a big event in the city a few weeks ago.Despite the wet weather the cycleways are still in high demand.And not just by adults – there are plenty of school kids using them.We just need to get some better bike sheds.It’s been great to see the Worcester Street upgrade progressing. I thought this tree pit gave an interesting insight into how tricky it can be trying to fit trees into the urban environment.As a big fan of Otago rugby through the early 2000s I appreciated this bus ad about “bad news” Meeuws losing his guts.I’ve been debating with my colleagues lately the virtues of cyclists sharing wide bus lanes. Despite plenty of cyclists using the new Lincoln Road bus lanes, it didn’t seem to delay us too much – we still whizzed into town bang on schedule. There are plenty of buses looking like this at the moment – we’re recording the highest numbers seen in over a decade. Just need a few more of them now.A couple of obligatory pictures of bad parking: this one right in front of a school crossing so none of the kids could see when they were crossing the road. This really grinds my gears.I reckon this kind of parking is becoming more common with increasing vehicle lengths. If it was just a one-off it wouldn’t be that bad but when you have to dodge these obstacles every few hundred metres it gets pretty annoying.And to finish on high note, I accidentally stumbled upon the future of transportation at an unlikely place: the steampunk festival in Oamaru. Apparently steam-powered flying machines with time-machines and ray-guns is what city planners really should be preparing for.
Good to call out things like the cars on footpaths, I think a lot of people just don’t see the problem and that’s a shame. When I started to walk with a pram (and a sleeping baby!) it really opened my eyes how often footpaths are obstructed and how annoying it must be for less mobile people, when before I would have thought nothing of navigating around them.
Yea same here: having children generally made me realise just how hard it is to walk/bike around our neighbourhoods and lots of it is just due to inconsiderate behaviour like this. And that’s before you even start thinking about visually impaired people, mobility impaired, elderly etc etc.
TALKING TRANSPORT 
Thanks for this, love to see busy cycleways!
Good to call out things like the cars on footpaths, I think a lot of people just don’t see the problem and that’s a shame. When I started to walk with a pram (and a sleeping baby!) it really opened my eyes how often footpaths are obstructed and how annoying it must be for less mobile people, when before I would have thought nothing of navigating around them.
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Yea same here: having children generally made me realise just how hard it is to walk/bike around our neighbourhoods and lots of it is just due to inconsiderate behaviour like this. And that’s before you even start thinking about visually impaired people, mobility impaired, elderly etc etc.
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