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A runaway-truck ramp, traffic lights or an underpass are among options mooted for a notorious Dunedin intersection.
The junction of Great King St and State Highway 1 (Pine Hill Rd) has been the scene of at least 87 crashes since 2000, injuring nearly 70 people, five seriously.
NZ Transport Agency system manager Graeme Hall, of Dunedin, acknowledged a slew of safety concerns at the intersection, the site of two collisions this month alone.
The issues were related to its geography and the fact the city road crossing the highway was controlled with a stop sign, he said.
''It has restricted visibility due to the approach angles and [the] curve of SH1 ... some drivers fail to give way or stop to ensure the intersection is clear before proceeding, and the large volumes of traffic result in conflicting movements between vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.''
Some drivers avoided the intersection by ''rat running'' via nearby streets instead, while traffic was known to stack up during peak time at the stop sign, Mr Hall said.
Truck brake failures have also caused serious crashes in the area.
In 2017, after its brakes failed, a truck-and-trailer unit went out of control in Pine Hill Rd as it travelled downhill, rolled on to its side and slid to a halt at the intersection.
An investigation by the police commercial vehicle safety team found the accident was caused by the brakes on the trailer not working correctly because of a mechanical fault.
Mr Hall said the intersection had been the subject of several investigations, but it had not had sufficient priority to be included in the intersections eligible for upgrades through the National Land Transport Programme.
However, the intersection was within the scope of the Connecting Dunedin transport partnership between the Dunedin City Council, NZTA and Otago Regional Council, and would be considered as part of a business case currently being completed.
Mr Hall said the agency had considered a range of options for improving safety at the intersection, including:
- An arrester bed/runaway truck ramp for vehicles with brake failure.
- Traffic lights.
- Grade separation (bridge/overpass or an underpass).
- Redirecting traffic to George St.
All those options would be considered as part of the business case and would be subject to a cost estimate, before any decision on funding, Mr Hall said.