The path to nowhere Common sense roading?
This was put up by some concerned citizens on Sunday 26th June.
The Editor responds: In July 2021, we received the following statement from Brendan Bisley, Director of Transport for Tauranga City Council:
“The last stage of the cycleway is complex, because it involves SH2 and a connection to Bethlehem Town Centre – both of which are high traffic areas. We are currently in the process of discussing different options with impacted stakeholders to enable us to reach the best outcome. This process takes time. Once a decision has been reached we can start implementation, hopefully later this year. We appreciate the community’s patience as we work towards getting the best and safest outcome for everyone.” Tui, anyone?
Can anyone give a common sense reason why the roading upgrade needs the centre strip and the new roundabout adjacent to the cul-de-sac, near the turn-off to doctors’ surgery, bar, restaurant area? Regards,
David Hill, Ōmokoroa.
The Editor responds: I’ll give it a shot. The Ōmokoroa Kiwi Holiday Park and Thermal Hot Pools had long-established existing use access when the supermarket came to town.
As part of the consent process for the supermarket, Fresh Choice was originally only given access via Tralee Street. Bear in mind the Hot Pools opposite already had unfettered access onto Ōmokoroa Road. Council then made a concession to allow Fresh Choice users left turns into and out of Ōmokoroa Road. Unfortunately, a lot of people are impatient or selfentitled and a fair number continued to turn right out of Fresh Choice onto Ōmokoroa Road. This has led to near misses involving two facing cars both turning right, as you might expect when one of them is doing so illegally, directly opposite a long-standing business with a driveway slightly concealed by buildings, fences, and planting.
Some winners even turned right into Fresh Choice from Ōmokoroa Road, despite the obvious intention of the driveway’s concrete shaping, and the signage.
The roundabout is a necessary speed reduction measure, judging by the speed some vehicles were coming over the blind rise from the direction of Anderley Ave. Several residents of McKenna Lane and pedestrians are grateful for these safety improvements.
Bear in mind McKenna Lane, the medical complex, the neighbouring retail property, the supermarket, the church and the new Village commercial development have all been carried out at different times due to private land deals as developers came along. There has been no opportunity for a holistic long-term use of land for traffic flow over the past 20 years, so roading engineers have produced what they see as a safe option in the space available.
We have a lot to be grateful for and a bit of patient road use would go a long way.