Plans for a State Highway 1 flyover and changes to busy intersections through Rolleston, south of Christchurch, are ready for the first round of public feedback.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has pop-up events planned over the next few weeks to share plans and gather community feedback.

The $125m project is being delivered as part of the Government’s $6.8 billion New Zealand Upgrade Programme to save lives, get our cities moving and boost productivity in the country’s growth areas.

Waka Kotahi is working closely with Selwyn District Council and KiwiRail to plan the improvements which include investment in highway intersections and the rail corridor.

Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships James Caygill says many years of planning are being realised as a result of the NZUP funding and it is exciting to share the initial plans with the community for feedback.

“The proposed road and rail improvements are designed to provide a streamlined extension off the southern motorway while elevating and strengthening Rolleston’s community connections. A highway flyover, intersection changes and a new service lane will mean safer and more efficient commuter and freight routes and a freer flowing highway.”

Sam Broughton, Mayor of Selwyn District Council, says the flyover offers people safer ways to cross the highway and connect Rolleston township and the industrial hub.

“The changes are designed to make it safer and easier for people to visit and for locals to get around Rolleston. It also gives people more options to get around Rolleston, whether they are cycling, walking, on buses or in cars.”

Mr Caygill says that Waka Kotahi is now inviting the community’s input on the project.

“We want people to think about how they travel to and from and within Rolleston and how the plans for a flyover support this. We also want to hear whether any improvements could be made, so we can incorporate community feedback, ready for the next phase of planning.”

The project includes a number of proposed safety upgrades including:

• a flyover between Rolleston township and the industrial hub. The flyover will be a safer way for people – whether they are cycling, walking, on buses or in cars – to cross the highway while providing community connection for Selwyn District
• closing SH1 Hoskyns Road and Rolleston Drive North intersections and removing the level crossing, which will be much safer for everyone
• a new southbound service lane for local traffic running parallel to SH1 from Rolleston Drive North to south of Brookside Road (left in/left out only)
• a new roundabout improving safety at SH1/Dunns Crossing Road/Walkers Road intersection, for better freight access to Rolleston’s industrial area and community access on and off the highway at the southern end of Rolleston
• safety improvements at SH1/Rolleston Drive South intersection
• changes to the rail corridor to improve train connections, operations and efficiencies.

Complementary projects — not funded by NZUP — but planned to support the wider transport network include:

• assigning Two Chain Road/Walkers Road and Jones Road as primary freight routes and improving the infrastructure to support this*
• reviewing speed along SH1 from Rolleston to Dunsandel and potentially local roads as well**
• a Rolleston to Burnham shared path*
• highway safety improvements including median barriers at some locations and a possible roundabout for Burnham*.

*Funding, timing and community consultation to be confirmed.

People are invited to speak to the team about the proposed Rolleston Flyover and Transport Improvements as well as safer speeds at the following events:

• Wednesday, 21 July 10am-12noon, Rolleston Community Centre, 94 Rolleston Drive
• Saturday 24 July 1-3pm, Selwyn Winter Festival, Larcomb Vineyard, 307 Larcombs Road
• Sunday 1 August 9-11am, Rolleston Farmers Market, 631 Springston Rolleston Road
• Wednesday 11 August 3-5pm, Selwyn Sports Centre, 70 Broadlands Drive.

People can also send feedback in an email to rollestonflyover@nzta.govt.nz

Or drop comments on the online map at www.nzta.govt.nz/rollestonflyover from 20 July.

The last day for comment is Tuesday, 17 August.

Background:

Community engagement was undertaken in 2017 with residents of Selwyn District around potential safety and connection improvements around the entrance to Rolleston from SH1. This resulted in the proposed SH1 flyover for Rolleston coupled with improvements to highway intersections.

In January 2020, the Government announced the $6.8 billion New Zealand Upgrade Programme which included a $300m package of projects for Canterbury.

The investment in transport will help manage growth by providing residents with safer and better travel choices, as well as improving freight links to support economic growth and the opening of the Christchurch Southern Motorway through to Rolleston.

**Road to Zero – the national picture

Improving safety on New Zealand roads is a top priority for Waka Kotahi, which is committed to Vision Zero, which aspires to a New Zealand where no-one is killed or seriously injured on our roads.

Whilst everyone makes mistakes on our roads, these mistakes should not cost us our lives.

To reduce deaths and serious injuries we need to take action on several fronts, from speed limits to driver education to improving the safety of roads and vehicles. Even when speed isn’t the direct cause of a crash, it is the single biggest factor that determines whether a person is killed, seriously injured or walks away from a crash unharmed.

Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy, sets out the goal of reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40 percent over the next decade. This sets an initial target of reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on New Zealand roads by 40% (compared to 2018 levels) by 2030, as a first step towards a long-term goal of no deaths or serious injuries.

Reaching that initial target would mean reducing annual road deaths to fewer than 230 and serious injuries to fewer than 1,700 by 2030.

In 2020, 318 people were killed and more than 2,500 were seriously injured on New Zealand roads.

• You can read more about how Waka Kotahi is working with the Police, Ministry of Transport, local government, WorkSafe and others to deliver Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy at: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/what-waka-kotahi-is-doing/nz-road-safety-strategy/

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

· Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic

• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAsouthisland
• Twitter Canterbury/West Coast: twitter.com/WakaKotahiCWC
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

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