Roading moves under fire
Opposition is brewing to the planned removal of a passing lane at O¯ hakea, with a former state highways manager slating the plan as ‘‘dangerous’’.
Errol Christiansen, who was once responsible for the highways in Manawatu¯ and Whanganui, said the passing lane was originally put in to make the road safer.
However, the New Zealand Transport Agency announced earlier this year the passing lane on State Highway 3 could be taken away to improve safety.
SH3 outside the base has been the scene of multiple crashes down the years, including a threecar collision involving members of the United States military last year. The agency wants to improve access to the air force base.
Christiansen is Horizons Regional transport committee.
‘‘Reducing it to one lane is a dangerous thing to be doing,’’ he said.
Traffic volumes were only going to rise with the Singapore air force increasing its presence there, he said.
Agency regional relationships part of Council’s director Emma Speight told the committee on Tuesday about plans for the section of road, which is being resealed at the moment.
Planning work was continuing, but removing the passing lane would likely happen, she said.
The next closest passing lane when heading south is 5 kilometres away, on the other side of Sanson.
The passing lane under threat starts at the intersection of Tangimoana Rd and ends immediately at the intersection where traffic enters and exits the base. Motorists wanting to travel south from O¯ hakea have to merge with the traffic at the end of the passing lane.
There is a short merging lane for traffic heading north from the base.
In the past 10 years there have been 31 crashes on SH3 between the Bulls Bridge and the Wilson and Frecklington roads intersection.
The crashes injured 20 people, five seriously, and killed one.
The agency insists its plan will make things safer, but Horizons Regional Council chairman Bruce Gordon described the plan as a ‘‘nightmare’’.
Gordon said removing the passing lane would attract opposition.
‘‘Lots of locals will object. I will object to the removal,’’ he said.
A lot of heavy vehicles joined SH1 in Bulls, and the passing lane was the first opportunity to pass them, he said.
He also suggested the Defence Force could stagger start and finishing times at the base.
‘‘At 4.30pm the road chocker. You can’t put motorbike between two cars.’’
There should also be multiple entry and exit points to the base, he said.
The Defence Force is yet to comment.
‘‘Reducing it to one lane is a dangerous thing to be doing.’’ Former state highways manager Errol Christiansen
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