Transit plans to close one of Queenstown's most dangerous intersections to outgoing and right-turning traffic, but a question mark hangs over when.
The Glenda Dr-State Highway 6 intersection has been the site of 9 reported car accidents in the past 5 years, but is well-known locally as a ‘‘black spot''. Of those 9 crashes, just one involved a serious injury.
Transit completed a minor upgrade of the intersection last year, which included turning a two-lane 100kmh section into a one-lane road with a slow vehicle lane, and pruning vegetation to the right of the intersection.
The improvements followed a head-on crash in July in which five people were injured.
However, the Transit plan, in conjunction with the Frankton Flats working party and the Queenstown Lakes District Council-led Wakatipu Transportation Strategy, would now see Glenda Dr closed to all outgoing traffic, with a single left-turn entrance.
Transit regional manager Bruce Richards said a roundabout would be constructed on State Highway 6, leading into a new road to service Glenda Dr and Remarkables Park. All traffic exiting Glenda Dr or turning right into the industrial area would need to use the roundabout, he said.
The major benefit was removing the intersection from the brow of a hill.
Neither the exact position of the new road (the Eastern Access), how many lanes wide it would be, nor its expected cost had been finalised.
However, Mr Richards estimated it the budget would be ‘‘several million'' [dollars].
‘‘It's definitely happening, [but] when is determined by too many factors. We wanted it to be as soon as possible . . . but an agreement on the funding is the stumbling block at the moment.
‘‘There are funding processes to go through and I couldn't predict how long that may take.''
Another roundabout was planned for the intersection of Grant Rd and State Highway 6. That would service the Five Mile development site.
Mr Richards said developers of Remarkables Park and Five Mile would be asked for a contribution towards the construction of the roundabouts and roads.
Once funding was secured, the roundabouts and Eastern Access Rd could be constructed ‘‘in a season'', Mr Richards said.
