Road crossing 'risky business'

Neville Poole wants action on the Green Island pedestrian crossing. Photo by Craig Baxter.
Neville Poole wants action on the Green Island pedestrian crossing. Photo by Craig Baxter.
A pedestrian crossing in the Green Island business district needs to be elevated before someone is killed, resident Neville Poole says.

Mr Poole said the Main South Rd crossing near Westpac Bank needed to be elevated, like the King Edward St crossing in the South Dunedin shops, to ensure traffic slowed for pedestrians.

Motorists travelled ''like rockets'' on Main South Rd and failed to stop at the crossing.

''Every day someone is nearly run over.''

He was surprised a pedestrian had not been hurt, he said.

Distracted motorists often failed to see pedestrians crossing.

Council senior traffic engineer Ron Minnema said the council had an ''interim solution'' planned for the crossing this financial year.

The crossing and its fluorescent discs were difficult for motorists to see, he said.

''So we are installing a skid-resistant terracotta-coloured surface between the pedestrian crossing bars and replacing the florescent discs at each crossing with Belisha beacons that flash.''

Belisha beacons are amber-coloured globe lamps set atop tall black and white poles.

Mr Minnema said the interim solution would not elevate the crossing because more major work was likely to be done to improve safety and accessibility at Green Island.

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