Dangerous road to get makeover
A plan to reduce death and serious injury along one of the South Island’s busiest and most dangerous roads has been proposed.
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) wants to improve safety along State Highway 1 south of Christchurch, between the Selwyn River near Dunsandel and Ashburton.
Between 2007 and 2016, 13 people died and 49 were seriously injured on the road.
The new plan proposes to put safety barriers down the middle of the road to stop head-on crashes, add rumble strips to give drivers a wake-up call and improve intersections.
NZTA system manager Pete Connors said 70 per cent of deaths on the road were from head-on crashes. ‘‘Too many people are being killed and seriously injured in crashes,’’ Connors said. ‘‘Installing flexible road safety barrier and turnaround bays along the route will make a real difference.’’
Consultation in December last year determined people felt unsafe on the road for a number of reasons, including high traffic volumes, drivers crossing the centre line, people walking and driving across SH1 at Rakaia and Dunsandel, turning off and on busy roads on the highway, parking at the Mobil Service Station in Rakaia and food outlets in Dunsandel and crossing the Rakaia bridge.
Speed would be reviewed at Dunsandel, Rakaia, Selwyn, Chertsey and across the Rakaia Bridge.
The proposed plan was not final – Connors said NZTA was looking for public feedback before the project team finalised the design and applied for construction funding.
A cost for the project had not been finalised but the project was part of the Government’s Safe Roads and Programme.
This first stage, which included design, was funded through the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).
Once NZTA gathered feedback and finalised the preferred option they would have an estimated construction cost and could then apply for construction funding.
Connors said three community events would be held to gather feedback on the plan.
The events would be in Dunsandel, Ashburton and Rakaia on November 22, 23 and 24 respectively. Roadsides