Gore's controversial $1 million roading project trail is being partially wound up a fortnight early after it proved unpopular with locals. 

Gore District Council rolled out the Streets Alive project three months ago. 

The aim was to make the Southland town's streets both safer and more accessible, adding roundabouts, courtesy crossings, street calming planter boxes and closing streets to create 'pocket parks'. 

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But many residents have been vocally opposed to the changes, saying they don't suit the farming town and make it too difficult to get around.

A 1,000-strong petition was presented to council, while many of the planter boxes were repeatedly vandalised. 

Now the council has backed down, removing many of the changes early. 

Kitchener, Anzac and Pomona Streets will reopen to two-way traffic next week with the removal of the pocket parks. However, bollards will be put in place to narrow the streets where they intersect with Robertson Street to slow traffic.

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The council will also continue the withdrawal of the concrete planter pots from around Gore. About 60 pots have been removed in the last fortnight.

The changes follow yesterday’s working party meeting to look at the managed retreat of the Streets Alive initiatives, as resolved by the full council on Tuesday (8 June).

The working party also decided to reopen the south end of Broughton Street and the east end of Eccles Street next Monday (June 14), with minor modifications.

Broughton Street would be open to two-way traffic, but there would be channelling installed to restrict heavy traffic access and slow down vehicles from State Highway 1.

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Eccles Street will be open to all traffic. However, vehicles will not be able to turn right out of Eccles onto Main Street.

Roading Asset Manager Peter Standring said improving safety and relieving congestion were the main reasons for stopping traffic turning south out of Eccles Street.

Safety was also the driver behind the decision to put bollards in Kitchener, Anzac and Pomona streets.

"We want to retain the benefits we've seen around the schools by slowing traffic," he says.

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"While many aspects of the trials worked well and met the community objectives, the aim of some initiatives was lost," Standring said.

The working party also decided to roll in some of the courtesy crossings, while it will retain the three intersection changes - the Crewe/Ardwick street, Bury/Wigan street and Eccles/ Elsie street intersections.

There will be some reconfigurations at these intersections to ensure they are well marked and safe, Standring said.

Also being retained will be the roundabouts, which have been popular with residents, and changes to Irk Street. However, the council will need to look at more permanent installations for Irk Street as the present furniture was only intended to be temporary. 

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A recent survey of Irk Street businesses found the majority were positive or very positive about the Streets Alive trial in their street and they want the changes to become permanent, Standring says.

Community feedback will inform future planning for Gore’s streetscapes and how people move around the town.

Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks urged people to still take part in the surveys, even though the trials were being rolled in.

"It’s important we hear about people’s experiences, especially those who walk or cycle around town. The feedback will help inform our planning for the future.”