Innovating Streets for People — New Zealand's National Tactical-Urbanism Pilot Fund

In 2019, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency launched Innovating Streets for People, a national co-funding programme applying 'tactical urbanism' -- quick, low-cost, temporary street changes -- to test safer, more people-friendly designs before committing to permanent works.

The agency funded 90% of approved project costs from the National Land Transport Fund, with councils covering the remainder, aiming to accelerate safety and accessibility improvements and build community support for further change.

Across 32 councils, the programme delivered 78 projects and, in the 2020-21 round alone, about 89 kilometres of interim street treatments -- cycleways, parklets, kerb build-outs, speed cushions and safer school crossings -- each co-designed with local communities.

In Porirua's Fantame Street, traffic-calming changes near Russell School reduced speeds so that 85% of passing drivers travelled below the 30 km/h 'survivable speed' threshold. A Waka Kotahi mixed-method evaluation (initial summary November 2020, full report April 2022) found the programme accelerated safety and accessibility improvements and built community support for further change, while flagging a need for greater sector capability. Not every trial succeeded: painted markings on Dunedin's George Street were removed after complaints, and planter boxes in Gore and Mosgiel were vandalised or petitioned away by residents who objected to the temporary installations.

The programme's institutional model proved durable regardless -- it was renewed as the 'Streets for People' programme for 2021-2024 -- even where individual street trials were reversed.