Safety on stretch of SH1a concern

Neil Jorgensen
Neil Jorgensen
Something needs to be done to make State Highway 1 from Orwell St to TY Duncan Rd safer and easier to navigate, Waitaki District Council assets group manager Neil Jorgensen says.

In a report to the Waitaki District Council, Mr Jorgensen said the section of highway was narrow and highly congested at peak times.

There was an unacceptable number of crashes on that stretch of the highway.

Remedial work was needed now, because traffic volumes were growing.

The New Zealand Transport Agency had recognised the need, and it had commissioned a strategy study which will investigate the issues and recommend workable solutions.

There had been 157 reported crashes in the past 10 years. Of those, 12 resulted in serious injuries and 64 resulted in minor injuries. There had been no fatalities.

Crash "hot spots" had been identified around the North End shops and the New World supermarket.

Mr Jorgensen said crash history showed the road was a highly intensive area which was not able to cope effectively with the demand users placed on it.

Consultation with key stakeholders will be held to fully understand all issues.

A draft strategy will be available for public consultation, and feedback will be used to develop the final report.

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