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Gerald St businesses fear people will continue to avoid Lincoln’s town centre even once large-scale road works are finished.
Since roadworks began on Gerald St, motorists have increasingly been using Southfield Dr as an unofficial detour to get through the town.
Latest traffic count data shows average daily traffic on Southfield Dr has almost tripled, rising from 1316 vehicles in 2024 to 3616 last month.
In an attempt to discourage the detour, the council has installed five small “no-through route” signs along Southfield Dr and one on Vernon Dr which is used to access Southfield Dr at a cost of $50 each. However, the signs are not legally enforceable.
One resident who regularly uses the street said he was unaware the signs had been installed until told by the Selwyn Times.
Traffic lights are set to be installed on Gerald St at the intersections with West Belt, Vernon Dr, Springs and Ellesmere Junction Rds, and James and Edward Sts.
Lincoln Convenience Store owner Rick Sun said changing drivers’ behaviour would be difficult to reverse once new travel habits had formed.
Sun believes congestion on Gerald St will continue to deter drivers from using the route.
Across the road, Cottage Cafe owner Surekha Pudi shared those concerns.
“Once people find a faster way to get through Lincoln, they are not going to come back to using Gerald St.”
Councillor Denise Carrick was also concerned about the route becoming a long-term shortcut.
“Going through Southfield Dr is a natural way to bypass the town centre,” she said.
Councillor Aaron McGlinchy expects some people will avoid Gerald St because of the lights.
Carrick, who has pushed for safety changes to help children cross the road from nearby Ararira Springs Primary School, said council staff told her traffic lights were the only viable option.
She said community feedback on the signage had been “50-50”.
“Some people on Southfield Dr have liked them, others have said they do not like them because they cannot be enforced.”
McGlinchy was unsure if the signs had changed anything.
“I’ve anecdotally heard from one or two people that the signs have made a difference. But I’m sure there is still plenty of traffic coming through there that otherwise wouldn’t have.”
Keeping track of the traffic
Have you noticed traffic counters on your street? The council has been conducting its yearly traffic count across 600 sections of road across the district.
Council head of asset management Murray England said the data is used to produce a traffic estimate for each of the 5000 road sections throughout Selwyn.
“Council gathers this information to understand traffic volumes, assist with planning, prioritise road network upgrades, inform road design, and for safety analysis,” he said.
The busiest roads to date are:
1. Springston Rolleston Rd, between Lowes Rd and Broadlands Dr, ADT (average daily traffic) 24,768 (2023)
2. Weedons Rd, between Levi Rd and SH1, ADT 24,038 (2023)
3. Springs Rd, between Marshs Rd and Hodgens Rd, ADT 18,387 (2023)
4. Rolleston Dr, between Kidman St and SH1, ADT 17,570 (2023)
5. Tennyson St, between Lowes Rd and Rolleston Dr, ADT 17,497 (2026)