The lights, turned on for the first time on Friday, attracted criticism online over the weekend about congestion they appeared to be causing along Frankton Rd.
They caused blind musician Mark Wilson a different kind of problem.
Mr Wilson, who lives with his wife, Emma, in Ballarat St, needs to cross Stanley St regularly to get into the town's centre. He said he used to cross without issue on a pedestrian crossing away from the roundabout at the intersection of the two streets.
He said he could stop at a refuge in the middle of the road and proceed when he could not hear traffic coming.
At the weekend, the couple discovered crossing at the new lights at Stanley and Ballarat Sts was a bit more of a challenge.
Mrs Wilson said her husband literally did not know where to go.
‘‘He ended up wandering off into the path of oncoming traffic.
‘‘We were expecting the lights were going to make it easier for Mark ... only to discover he can't actually cross the road on his own at all.''
Part of the problem was the audio signals that indicated when it was safe for pedestrians to cross were not loud enough or long enough to guide him across the street.
‘‘Being in a wide open space, with no points of reference, auditory or physical, is the worst thing you can do to a blind person,'' Mrs Wilson said.
Mr Wilson spoke to consultants Opus yesterday to see if the issues could be rectified, and New Zealand Transport Agency transport planning manager Tony Sizemore responded saying the adjustments would be made to the signals this week.
Mr Wilson would then be invited to test the changes.
Mr Wilson said the ‘‘perfect scenario'' would be for a physical guide, for example raised crossing dots, to be put into the road to give him a sensory aid.
‘‘If Queenstown increases at the rate it is, there surely is going to be, in generations to come ... one or two other blind people.
‘‘With the traffic and foot [traffic] congestion, it's just got to be safe. That's all I'm asking for, is to be as safe as possible in order that I can be as independent as possible.''
Mr Sizemore said NZTA would consider that request.
He also thanked those in the community who had raised their concerns about Mr Wilson's safety through social media over the weekend.
Mr Sizemore said the signal operation would continue to be ‘‘tweaked'' to reduce congestion. However, the agency also wanted to remind motorists of rules for pedestrians.
‘‘Drivers have to give way to pedestrians on a crossing, even when the green light has come on [for drivers], as older people and children in particular may need a little longer to get across a pedestrian crossing.
‘‘Some red light running has been observed since the lights were switched on and the police will be asked to undertake enforcement as priorities allow.''
