Children running across SH3
Every day school students who live on the ‘‘wrong side’’ of Waitara run across State Highway 3 near a busy intersection to get to school and home again.
The busy junction of Princess St and SH3 is part of the dangerous Waitara to Bell Block road which the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) plans to upgrade.
Urenui resident Martin Bell often watches children as young as five try to scramble across the busy highway when he’s on his way home.
‘‘It’s not a pretty sight’’. ‘‘There’s three of them, they’re joshing amongst themselves, one of them will look and say ‘let’s go’ and they’ll all run.
‘‘It’s known as a bad junction just the way it is.
‘‘If you’re there you’ve got to look three ways without worrying about whether kids are dashing across as well.
‘‘Something’s going to happen,’’ he said.
The other option for the students to cross the highway is an underpass further up the road, but it’s off the fastest route to the school.
The underpass, which is dark, dingy and connects a cul-de-sac with the end of another suburban road, isn’t the most inviting of walkways.
‘‘The kids don’t [use it], they go straight across the junction because that’s the quick way, straight to the school.’’
Bell only spotted the underpass the other day and was shocked with the condition of it.
‘‘I thought not too bad for a dairy herd,’’ he said.
‘‘I’d be wondering whether to recommend my kids use this.
‘‘They need somewhere that’s easy, friendly, properly designed.’’
Waitara High School principal Daryl Warbuton said he thinks majority of his students who live on the other side of his Princess St school cross SH3 at the intersection.
‘‘I’ve got concerns about students crossing that piece of road,’’ Warburton said.
He said he didn’t think the underpass was well used.
‘‘I think majority of my students just cross over the top.’’
The section of State Highway 3, between Waitara and Bell Block, is currently being looked at by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA).
Warburton said he gave his feedback about pedestrians to the NZTA.
The high school principal isn’t sure what he’d like to see for the students but assumes some form of crossing above road would be best.
‘‘Something close to the intersection,’’ Warburton said.
‘‘Essentially, I mentioned that our students’ safety is prioritised.’’
NZTA systems manager Ross I’Anson said in an emailed statement making this part of SH3 safer is a priority.
‘‘This current project aims to improve safety, reduce crashes and ease congestion between Waitara and Bell Block,’’ I’Anson said.
NZTA has held two rounds of consultation with the community asking for views on issues and experiences with the road and as a result further investigations and more extensive works are being proposed.
The organisation said they are now looking into creating a pedestrian underpass at Princess St.
‘‘I’ve got concerns about students crossing that piece of road.’’ Waitara High School principal Daryl Warbuton