Mt Pleasant Residents’ Association chair Derek McCullough spoke at the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board meeting, calling for changes to McCormacks Bay Rd, including yellow lines, a protected pedestrian crossing and a speed limit reduction from 50km/h to 30km/h.
Traffic congestion, especially when the road is forced to narrow from cars parked on both sides, makes it dangerous for pedestrians, particularly children and the elderly, to cross at peak times, said McCullough.
Board member and mayoral candidate Sara Templeton said the speed limit change was unlikely due to recent Government rule changes around speed limits.
She acknowledged the community centre is a well-used facility and agreed the suggested pedestrian crossing and yellow lines should be considered.
The matter has been referred to council staff, said board chair Callum Ward.
Staff will make an assessment and come back to the board with its findings.
The board will then make a decision about how to resolve the issues.
Ward said this would likely be completed within six weeks.
“We are pretty happy with the outcome,” McCullough said.
McCormacks Bay Rd is a key exit route for Mt Pleasant, with Maffeys Rd and Glenstrae Rd funnelling traffic onto it.
“They’re all major feeders down the hill and they all come onto McCormacks Bay Rd before they hit the main road,” McCullough said.
“When it’s only a single lane for 150m, it’s not the best situation.”
McCullough said there had been many close calls for pedestrians crossing the road and wants to see measures put in place before it is too late.
“That’s (accidents) our worry,” he said.
The issue has been ongoing since the 2011 earthquakes.
McCullough previously raised it with the board 18 months ago but said it “fell off the radar” until now.
