‘Russian roulette' intersection to be replaced with roundabout

Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden has welcomed news a roundabout will replace a busy Levin intersection he had long described as “extremely dangerous“.

Wanden was reacting to news from NZ Transport Agency that the intersection at Queen St and Arapaepae Rd will be replaced with a major roundabout.

“Look, it’s very pleasing. It has been a big talking point for a number of years now and we’ve taken a long time to get to this space.”

As traffic volumes increased, locals had described crossing the intersection as like playing “Russian roulette“, and grim statistics showed there had been 11 serious crashes in the immediate area in the last five years.

Wanden said while the community had long campaigned for something to be done, it was sad that nothing really comes to bear until crash statistics start to tell a story.

“It’s extremely dangerous and in the end it’s unfortunate that statistics and data tell the story,” he said.

Wanden said a lot of work had been done behind the scenes to ensure a range of safety improvements were on the table.

“We see this as an extension of the work which needs to happen on the current network. With the new highway still some eight or more years away, there is still a lot of work to be done on the region’s roads.”

NZTA is proposing a range of safety improvements in addition to the roundabout, all aimed at preventing deaths and serious injuries on State Highway 57, between State Highway 1 and Heatherlea East Rd.

Director of regional relationships Emma Speight said the proposed safety improvements will keep the road safe ahead of the new highway opening in 2029.

“State Highway 57 will continue to be an important local road after the new highway is completed, and it’s important that we tackle the safety issues on the existing road right now.

“These improvements will make the corridor safer in the meantime, while work progresses to deliver the new O¯ taki to north of Levin highway within the next decade.”

The new roundabout at the SH57/Queen St intersection would slow approaching vehicles and make it easier to choose the right time to enter flowing traffic.

Roundabouts can reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured at busy intersections by up to 65 per cent, she said.

Plans also include the installation of stretches of side barriers and wider centrelines. Painted wide centrelines provide more space between lanes, which can reduce serious crashes by up to 20 per cent.

Speight said side barriers could stop vehicles before they hit something less forgiving, like power poles or drainage ditches. They can reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured by up to 30 per cent.

“We are asking residents and locals to share their thoughts on the planned safety improvements. Input from the community can help fine tune the proposed improvements and will make sure we have all the information we need to make them fit-for-purpose,” she said.

The safety improvements were a continuation of the work further north on SH57 to Shannon, completed in early 2020. The agency is also reviewing the current speed limits on SH57 between SH1 and Shannon to make sure they are safe and appropriate for the road.

— Paul Williams