A series of safety improvements are planned to start in early 2021 along the Te Moana Road corridor in Waikanae.

Councillor James Cootes, Transportation portfolio holder, says it’s great to see Te Moana Road next on the list for district-wide traffic improvements aimed at enhancing the safety of vulnerable users in the community.

“Te Moana is another busy road in our district. It can be hard for pedestrians to cross safely, it’s difficult for vehicle users to make right-hand turns into side streets and the intersection of Te Moana Road and Rauparaha Street has been a longstanding safety issue,” says Councillor Cootes.

Access and Transport Manager Glen O’Connor says there have been serious road crashes at the intersection in recent years.

“This is just not good enough, we know it’s unsafe and we need to make safety improvements as soon as possible,” says Mr O’Connor.

“Currently the layout of the Te Moana Road and Rauparaha Street intersection gives priority to Rauparaha Street traffic – even though that’s got less traffic than Te Moana Road. The layout makes it difficult for people to look left and right easily, meaning it is hard to see what’s coming and how fast it’s coming,” he says.

Changes will see the layout altered to a T intersection which will improve visibility and give right of way to Te Moana Road traffic.

In practice this will mean a new stop or give way sign will be installed at the intersection for vehicles travelling from Rauparaha St onto Te Moana Rd. Traffic entering Rauparaha St from the east of Te Moana Rd will need to wait at a median strip before turning.

These changes will provide a great outcome within budget, says Mr O’Connor.

“If there are significant increases in traffic growth in future, beyond expected projections, then the intersection will be reviewed, and a roundabout may be considered.

“A roundabout is not currently warranted given the traffic volumes and issues. However, we’re not ruling it out in future if we needed to cope with an increase in traffic.”

Mr O’Connor says a roundabout would cost approximately $600,000-$800,000 which is 10 times more than the planned intersection layout changes for early next year.

As well as changes to the intersection, work also includes:

o Installing three pedestrian refuge islands on Te Moana Road between the Expressway and Old SH1 to make crossing this road safer for pedestrians

o A painted median along the centre of Te Moana Road to make right turns into side roads safer

o A shared path from near the golf club entrance, on the northern side of Te Moana Road, linking up with the existing path in front of the tennis club.

o Altering the bus layby on Rauparaha Street by locating this nearer to the traffic lane. This improves sightlines for bus drivers, and makes it safer and easier for the bus to merge back into traffic.

The work is being co-funded by the Council and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.

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