The old State Highway 1 through Ōtaki is much quieter than it was before the expressway opened. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Known for its outlet stores and speciality shops, the lower North Island town of Ōtaki was also famous as a traffic bottle neck.
That was until the opening over the Christmas period of a new expressway bypassing the town. Six months on, some shops are positive about the effect of this - but no all.
When RNZ visited on a week day, traffic was steady but light and parks were plentiful. Katherine Goodwin, at Streetwise coffee, had a front-row view of the street from the cart.
"It was a bit quieter to start with because, of course, everyone has to try that new road, but we've found that business has definitely crept back up," Goodwin said.
"The locals love it because they can get down here more.
"People are still coming through. They still want really great coffee and I think the on and off ramps work really well in conjunction with the town, so it's definitely a win-win."
One nearby retailer who would not be named was less enthusiastic, saying the lack of traffic had killed the town.
That was true for at least one outlet, which will soon shut its doors. Holly Wilson at the Bendon outlet said there were plusses and minuses.
"[It's] a lot easier for customers to shop - parking, crossing the road. We get a lot of comments about that, but we have noticed footfall has dropped off."
Overall, the new road had a slightly negative effect on the shop, she said.
"I think the novelty has worn off since the expressway opened. Everyone was able to come and shop and experience what it was like without being so busy in the town.
"Weekends are still great for us, but during the week it's definitely a lot flatter than it was a year ago."
Makayla Houghton and Vanessa Parsons have a front-row view of the road from Dice. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Makayla Houghton, at Dice eatery, had noticed similar trends.
"At the beginning it did quieten down a little bit... We used to get our main rush in the morning, then our lunch rush. We've noticed that it did quieten down in the mornings, then it picks up in the afternoon."
Speciality shops were more positive.
Robin Daldin at the Artel Gallery and Store said the effect of the new road was pleasantly surprising.
"There's been a lot more customers coming in from Wellington saying they've been up on Transmission Gully, saying they can find a park now and they're happy to come in and browse for longer.
"They're less stressed out about coming up."
Books and Co owner Jacqui Simpson said she was not worried about the bypass when she opened two years ago.
"Some weekdays, it's certainly a little quiet. Overall it balances out and I think we still get those weekend days where people come for a drive and come for a visit," she said.
"Our local support from the community is still really strong and that's what keeps us going, too."
Kirstie Caines would like to see the main road through Ōtaki closed to traffic completely. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Kirstie Caines, at fashion store Caravan and Co, liked the quieter road so much she thought authorities should go further.
"I think that they should pedestrianise the main street, then make all the cars go around the back and get some cool bars and restaurants going - really bring people down here."
Waka Kotahi regional manager Mark Owen said design work for changes to main road through Ōtaki would start soon, ahead of construction.
"It's probably going to be about two years' worth of work and that will start, probably, next year. This will help access into the Ōtaki township and also that corridor for people who live and have to move along there."
Once that work was completed the old State Highway 1 would be handed back to the Kāpiti District Council as a local road.
Not surprisingly there had been fewer crashes on that stretch of road this year compared with previous periods, but it was too early to get reliable traffic-count comparisons since the expressway opened, Owen said.
"Before we built that project we had something in the range of 16,000 to 21,000 vehicles per day on average heading along that corridor on the old SH1," he said.
"It's fair to say the through traffic is using the new alignment, which has made Ōtaki township more of a destination.
"They're seeing significant benefits of less congestion, fewer vehicles moving through, and it's making it easier and safer for people to access the side streets."
