Ignored roundabout’s speed bumps hard to tie down
A roundabout more often driven over than around is at last getting some attention, but the solution is not quite sticking.
The problem intersection is located in Bunnythorpe on the outskirts of Palmerston North. It sits close to a railway crossing on a busy route between the city and Feilding, and Feilding and Ashhurst.
The Palmerston North City Council’s transport and development group manager, Glen O’Connor, said bumps had been installed to make the Campbell Rd, Kairanga Bunnythorpe Rd and Dixons Line intersection work better for small vehicles.
However, they had to be removed because heavy commercial vehicles making the tight turn onto the railway crossing were doing them damage.
O’Connor said council staff were reviewing the trial and considering the possibility of using a better sort of glue to make the bumps adhere in a more durable way.
“If this is unsuccessful, the roundabout will revert to its previous state and we will consider what alternative options could be explored.”
O’Connor said the trial followed conversations with community leaders in Bunnythorpe.
The Local Government Commission recently recommended the city council work more closely with the Bunnythorpe community on the development of a village plan, and on a list of roading and maintenance issues that were frequently raised in submissions processes.
In November, a list of 17 issues was compiled and referred to the council’s draft Long-term Plan that will be released for public consultation in the coming weeks.
It was agreed at that time that the roundabout needed work ahead of a long-term solution being designed.
The village is in a kind of limbo awaiting decisions about the detail and timing of KiwiRail’s railway yards and distribution facilities, and about the development of a regional freight ring road that would influence the future layout of the roundabout intersection.
Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith was one of those who pushed for some sort of roundabout works to be put in place in the meantime.
Council staff had also started working through a list of smaller fixes for maintenance issues around the village’s footpaths and berms.
“If this is unsuccessful, the roundabout will revert to its previous state ...”
Council spokesperson Glen O’Connor on the next possible step.