Major work set to start at problem intersection

Graeme Hall
Graeme Hall

A problematic intersection in Mosgiel is set to be widened and straightened to accommodate heavy vehicles with wide loads.

NZ Transport Agency lower South Island system manager Graeme Hall said the agency was installing a lane barrier on the Southern Motorway, below the Quarry Rd underpass.

Heavy trucks with wide loads, which needed to use two lanes of highway, would need to avoid the section of motorway, as the barrier would limit motorists to the use of only one lane, he said.

Consequently, the intersection on the Southern Motorway off-ramp to Mosgiel would be altered to allow heavy traffic to use the ''on and off ramps'' to bypass the section of highway with the barrier, he said.

The intersection would be straighter and wider so trucks with wide loads could navigate it, he said.

Vegetation at the intersection would be pruned back, Mr Hall said.

At a board meeting in November, Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board member Martin Dillon told council transport and engineer road safety team leader Hjarne Poulsen the intersection was troubling elderly motorists.

The angle of the approach to the intersection forced elderly motorists to stop to allow time for them to turn their head to the right and check for oncoming traffic.

Changes were needed at the intersection to allow the motorists to give way, as intended, he said.

Mr Hall, at the meeting last week, said the give way sign at the intersection would be altered by next Wednesday but did not elaborate on the changes to be made.

At the meeting last week, Mr Dillon said some motorists travelling south on the Southern Motorway and taking the off-ramp to Mosgiel could cause an accident at busy times

Traffic at the intersection started banking up from 4pm.

Motorists waiting in the queue were ''pulling out'' of the line of traffic to get back on the motorway to access Mosgiel via Riccarton Rd, Mr Dillon said.

The motorists leaving the queue were going from a stationary position to joining a busy highway and traffic travelling about 100kmh.

Mr Hall acknowledged the ''problem'' and would investigate further.

 

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement