Roundabouts plan to tame 'confusing' intersections

The Dunedin City Council is hoping chaos will give way to order with a roundabout on George St where four roads meet with sometimes confusing results for drivers.

The installation outside the Regent Night 'n Day is one of four temporary roundabouts being trialled at intersections with "confusing or unclear road layouts", the council said.

Two trial roundabouts will be installed in Mornington and one in South Dunedin.

“We’re installing these temporary roundabouts to minimise the rate of crashes and near misses at four intersections that have been identified as having unclear or confusing layouts,” says DCC Group Manager Transport, Jeanine Benson.

“Roundabouts provide two main benefits, they improve safety and increase the flow of traffic, which means more efficient travel. The trial ensures we can thoroughly assess the impact of the roundabout in each area before deciding whether to make it permanent.”

The four roundabouts:

• North Dunedin, at the intersection of George Street, St David Street, Regent Road and Park Street;
• South Dunedin at the intersection of Teviot Street and Timaru Street;
• Two in Mornington, the first at the intersections of Mailer Street and Lawrence Street, and the second at the intersection of Hawthorn Avenue and Jubilee Street.

The trial roundabouts will be painted on the roads, featuring impact resistant signs and a rubber roundabout centre.

Flexible bollards would be installed "to create pedestrian refuges so people can safely cross the roads".

They will be installed this month, subject to weather-related delays, the council said.