Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board chairwoman Rebecca Shepherd drew their attention yesterday to increased housing in the town, commercial expansion and more freight activity.
She warned against residents paying the price through increased traffic congestion, safety risks and reduced quality of life.
Suitability of the transport network could not be allowed to lag, she said, during a city council 2026-27 annual plan hearing yesterday.
‘‘We can’t keep asking Mosgiel to absorb more growth without the infrastructure needed to make that growth safe and workable,’’ she said.
‘‘Please plan transport in Mosgiel alongside the development — not after the fact.’’
School children, older residents, people with disabilities and everyday road users were trying to move through a town already experiencing significant congestion, she said.
Mrs Shepherd acknowledged that NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi planned to make adjustments to key intersections.
An investment case is to determine ‘‘optimisation improvements’’ between the State Highway1 offramp to SH87 and the Hagart-Alexander Dr intersection, and the SH1 intersection with Riccarton Rd.
Mrs Shepherd said such measures could help move the tail of congestion off SH1, but would not deal with the scale of heavy traffic and congestion in the main street, Gordon Rd.
The community board is awaiting the results of a Mosgiel transport study.
Development of a planned inland port near Mosgiel is expected to increase heavy traffic movements.
‘‘We’re not opposing growth, but the transport implications for Mosgiel must be treated with the same seriousness and urgency as the developments themselves,’’ Mrs Shepherd said.
