Pedestrian crossing plan sought

"In the short term, I have asked if council can somehow highlight the holding bay in the centre of the road more." Helen Worboys, Manawatu mayor

Public pressure has forced the NZ Transport Agency to come up with solutions for pedestrian safety at one of Feilding’s busiest intersections.

This move comes after a group of senior citizens with mobility restrictions, led by Cianna Jordan, called for official pedestrian crossings to be installed at the roundabout intersecting Kimbolton Rd and Aorangi St.

Following discussions with the Manawatu District Council’s roading team, NZTA agreed to carry out tests to determine what type of treatment was required to increase pedestrian safety in the area.

Elderly residents were reluctant to use the courtesy crossing, where 186 vehicles passed in less than five minutes of monitoring, which at times backed up and disrupted traffic as far away as Stafford St.

Manawatu mayor Helen Worboys said NZTA would do some pedestrian counts during peak times to understand the types of passers-by that used the crossing as their preferred route.

It would also brainstorm solutions with stakeholders, such as the council and Kiwirail, to determine funding.

‘‘Unfortunately, there is no fast fix, being a state highway,’’ Worboys said.

‘‘In the short term, I have asked if council can somehow highlight the holding bay in the centre of the road more.’’

Worboys said the work the council was doing around the Green Spine, a cycle and walkway that followed the railway corridor from Victoria Park to the Oroua River, would also address the problem.

The path is the main connection between the northern and southern areas of Feilding, and other key areas to the centre of town.

But any further work around the Aorangi/kimbolton intersection was not scheduled for another two years.

Worboys said possible fixes could include narrowing the road to lessen crossing time or steering pedestrians away from the roundabout where the volume of traffic was decreased.

A Neighbourly poll by the Feildingrangitikei Heraldshowed only 15 per cent of respondents felt the current system at the roundabout was satisfactory.

More than 50 per cent believed a designated pedestrian crossing was required, while 30 per cent felt it was about time Feilding had traffic lights installed.