News

In more staff news, we also welcome Debbie Roxby Dunlop to our growing team. Debbie is our new Marketing Manager and will be assisting the team with information design, growing our marketing reach, and admin. Debbie brings with her a wealth of experience across the corporate and non-profit sectors, having most recently worked as Operations Manager at Canterbury Tech. Previously she has held roles in venue and event management, administration, and destination marketing.

Luca Ware and Nick Reid both just graduated from the University of Canterbury. Luca triple majored in geography, environmental science, and psychology. Nick obtained a Civil Engineering degree with a focus on transport engineering and human geography. And Megan Gregory (née Fowler) has re-joined us as Senior Transportation Engineer after a year’s family leave.

2021 is coming to an end. Here at ViaStrada, we know a thing or two about traffic signals. We might not be able to provide much advice on the Government's new use for them, but if you have any other queries about your own signalised intersections and crossings, drop us a line. And compliments of the season to you all and your families.

ViaStrada co-founder Axel Downard-Wilke has moved to an idyllic property near Tākaka, Golden Bay.

In October 2021, the Transportation Group and others organised a workshop on decision making and designing for an Age friendly Ōtautahi. Held at Tūranga, ViaStrada's Gemma Dioni presented 8 slides in 8 minutes on age-friendly transport. A huge topic to cover, but some key design considerations and features were provided to the audience to consider so we ensure that we maintain mobility as we age.

More information on Gemma's presentation and other contributions can be found on our website.

A planning tool to help develop appealing and cohesive walking and cycling networks in Northland has been launched! Council planners and engineers can use this tool for network analysis, prioritisation and public engagement.

The map collates information about existing and proposed facilities for daily active travel and tourism. It includes a range of resources and recommendations to support the planning and decision-making process.

As part of ViaStrada's work on the Pedestrian Network Guidance, our team refined work originally initiated by Palmerston North City Council into the newly approved Technical Advice Note 21-06 Horizontal geometric design for mobility scooters.

Raised Safety Platforms (RSPs) help manage motor vehicle approach speeds on the approach to intersections. They are specifically designed for motorist comfort when travelling at an appropriate speed and may also serve as a pedestrian crossing facility. As a road safety device, they prevent deaths and serious injuries by achieving negotiation speeds at a survivable level. In case a road user makes a mistake (e.g. violating a red light), others won’t have to pay with their life.

ViaStrada is designing RSPs for several clients, including in Taranaki, Canterbury, and Far North, with several RSPs on state highways. Please contact us if you need RSP design help or if you know of any new installations that we can include in our case study database. 
 

Helen Woodhouse was with ViaStrada from October 2007 to May 2021. And during that long period, her work profile changed completely, from an office administrator to an information designer. 

Thanks for your lengthy and valuable service. Everyone has enjoyed working with you, your sense of humour, and your contributions to the team.

What an inspiring conference in Auckland! The theme for the 2021 Transportation Conference is 'Decarbonising Transport'. ViaStrada has contributed two papers, which have both been presented as posters.