Two new pedestrian crossings have been approved for Anderson Rd in Wanaka despite ongoing opposition from a resident.
The first of the proposed crossings is between Terranova Pl and Mataraki Pl, outside 118 Anderson Rd, a site which was approved by the Wanaka Community Board in March and reconfirmed at a community board meeting yesterday. The second would link to the walkway through Domini Park.
The need for the crossing points was identified through the Queenstown Lakes District Council's work on school travel plans for Wanaka Primary and Holy Family schools.
The crossings will have a central island or "pedestrian refuge", "no parking" restrictions and signs on either side.
Richard Downey, who lives at 112 Anderson Rd, raised safety concerns about the Terranova crossing and suggested alternative locations at a community board meeting in April.
Transport consultants MWH Ltd subsequently investigated and addressed Mr Downey's concerns in a report presented at yesterday's meeting, and a recommendation said the crossings should still be installed where initially proposed.
MWH favoured a location closer to the crest of the hill on Anderson Rd, providing visibility over the hill, while Mr Downey favoured locations further away, which he argued provided a straighter line of sight between the pedestrian and the oncoming vehicle. He also argued it was more desirable to move the crossing further away from the busy Mt Iron Dr intersection, giving motorists turning out of Mataraki Pl more time to react to pedestrians crossing the road.
