Several residents raised concerns about the four speed humps on Ardmore St.
Barry Bruce said while he applauded the Queenstown Lakes District Council's attempts to slow the traffic, four speed bumps were "an overkill".
"They're abrupt and they're dangerous, in a number of ways," he said.
The risk to pedestrians who confused the speed humps with pedestrian crossings and the distraction and "temporary blindness" motorists experienced at night from the headlights of vehicles negotiating the humps was unacceptable.
Real estate agent Paul Miller said while the amalgamation of the town's waterfront and business areas was a positive step, the speed humps were confusing for both motorists and pedestrians and needed to be refined.
"I really don't understand why they need to be the style they are - that vicious," Mr Miller said.
David Rule, a qualified driving instructor, described the humps as "too severe" and said his trailer was being "wrecked" from driving over them.
Wanaka Community Board chairman Lyal Cocks defended the speed humps, saying they were necessary to slow traffic.
"The reason they're there is the safety issue raised by the public about the speed of cars through there."
Cr Cocks said shopkeepers along the lakefront retail strip, who had witnessed plenty of "near misses" before the speed humps were installed, reported the traffic-calming features were working well.
The Ardmore St roadworks were part of a bigger strategy developed in 2008 to remove Ardmore St's arterial status and divert traffic to Brownston St, Cr Cocks said.
Much work was yet to be done, including the proposed Ardmore St and Brownston St roundabout, so traffic could be diverted to Brownston St at the entrance to town. The council, landowners and the New Zealand Transport Agency are still negotiating access for the roundabout.
