Mount and Papamoa residents could be greeted by tree-lined entrances to their suburbs if proposals by Tauranga City Councillor Steve Morris get the go ahead through an amendment to Council's long term plan in June.

Steve is advocating for both Maunganui Road at the Mount and Domain Road in Papamoa to have their painted median strips replaced with a grassed median including trees such as on Cameron Rd in Tauranga.

What the roads will look like before and after the trees are added. Photos: Facebook.

'The most cost-effective time to upgrade the look and feel of our suburbs is during planned road works and upgrades,” says Steve.

Traffic modelling is currently underway to determine whether Domain Road remains a two-lane road or becomes four-lanes as currently budgeted.

'Either way, Domain Road needs to be reformed and widened whether it has two lanes or four.”

Steve says the relatively low cost of upgrading the Maunganui and Domain roads medians will come as a surprise to residents because of the reduced area of tar-seal required and heavy duty base-course that sits under a road.

The upgrades will also attract NZTA subsidies for safety improvements.

'For low cost we can have an attractive entrance to New Zealand's premier beachside holiday destinations and create a streetscape that is worthy of the pride our residents take in their own homes and gardens.

'But we need to plan for it now before the upgrades in Papamoa take place in the short term and the road works in the medium term at the Mount. Otherwise the opportunity to do it cost-effectively is lost for another 20 years.”