Jolanda Williams and Dora Bartle, both parents, had been campaigning since May for a marked pedestrian crossing to be installed on State Highway 8 near Molyneux Park and Gregg St and recently received the support of the Vincent Community Board after a 10-minute presentation outlining concerns.
Both parents had support from schools, kindergartens and businesses in the community for the crossing, which schoolchildren must use to get to schools and community facilities.
In response, the New Zealand Transport Agency had carried out a feasibility study this month looking at traffic and pedestrian volumes at the contentious crossing spot.
But Otago senior network manager John Jarvis said the preliminary results found only ''50% of the minimum requirements'' needed to justify a ''zebra'' crossing.
Instead, an island crossing would be installed at the contentious crossing spot, as well as painted flush medians at the entrance to Molyneux stadium and Gregg St, to slow traffic.
Mrs Williams was ''bitterly disappointed'' and called that a ''Band Aid'' because they ''did their research when children are getting driven to school'' during the colder months and only on weekdays.
On weekends children crossed the highway to get to sports at Molyneux park. The flush medians near the ice skating rink and Boundary Rd did ''not slow down traffic''.
Mr Jarvis said the results did not justify a zebra crossing and results had to meet certain criteria ''otherwise we have inconsistencies nationally''.
Mrs Williams planned to hold another fundraiser, write letters, and go back to the community board to rally more support until a ''zebra'' pedestrian crossing was installed.
She was also going to ask for more research to be carried out during the ''busy'' summer months.
Mr Jarvis said he had not yet secured funding for the work, but was hopeful it would be incorporated into planned resurfacing work on Centennial Ave in January 2016.
