Traffic lights back on job list

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Traffic lights on SH1 at Tinwald are back on.
Traffic lights on SH1 at Tinwald are back on.
Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown says he’s pleased traffic lights on State Highway 1 at Tinwald are back on Government’s roading plan, but Lagmhor Road may no longer be the right spot.

He says Grahams Road, which brings traffic from the growing Lake Hood area, might be more appropriate. It is also a T-intersection and would not impede the main railway line.

Government said last week traffic lights on the highway at Lagmhor Road and at Walnut Avenue were part of safety improvements in its $34 million roading package for Canterbury.

Both projects had been part of NZ Transport Agency’s work plan since at least 2015 but were shelved in 2018. Some $405,000 had been spent on them at the time.

Mr Brown said he hoped NZTA would be consulting over the location of the Tinwald lights before contractors put a shovel in the ground as traffic flows had changed as new subdivisions developed.

"The Walnut Avenue lights should be easy. The bulk of the planning work was done before it was canned. It will just be a matter of pulling it out again."

But no plans had been drawn up for Tinwald. "And it may not be the right intersection any more for the lights."

NZTA director of regional relationships Jim Harland said the Walnut Avenue intersection plan would be checked and updated as required. The agency has already spent just over $65,000 on minor property purchases and some land still needs to be bought from KiwiRail. Close to $300,000 was spent on the design phase six years ago.

Mr Harland said the funding announcement would also allow the agency to reopen the Tinwald corridor investigation to consider any other potential investment alongside the announced intersection improvement. The agency would work closely with the council.

The mayor was disappointed there was no money allocated for a second bridge over the Ashburton River, but council is still hoping to access funds from the Provincial Growth Fund to help cover the $35 million cost of the project scheduled for 2027.

Council secured PGF money to prepare a business case for the funds and Mr Brown said half the work was done. Council has said it will pay 20 per cent ($7m) while NZTA will pay 51 per cent ($17.85m); the shortfall of about $10m could be funded by the PGF.

Labour MP Jo Luxton said traffic lights at the two locations had been on her radar since she first began campaigning.

Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon was less impressed with the funding and said while $3.48 billion was announced for Auckland, less than $250m was allocated for the South Island.

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