Barnes Dance trials on SH1

Two Barnes Dance trials planned

MORE changes could be coming to Dunedin’s oneway system.

Barnes Dance trials are being proposed by the NZ Transport Agency for the two Albany St intersections in Cumberland and Great King Sts.

NZTA project manager Simon Underwood said while the proposal was primarily focused on improving the safety of pedestrians, it would also mean changes for cyclists using the oneway cycle lane.

Cyclists riding south in the cycle lane have to stop at the crossing outside the University of Otago central library and to cross from the left side of the road to the right.

A Barnes Dance meant cyclists would be able to move diagonally across the intersection.

The Barnes Dances are just one of a set of changes the NZTA is making to the cycle lanes after they received criticism from a number of cyclists.

Cyclists had complained they spent more time waiting at intersections than moving while riding south, which led some to ditch the cycle lane for the road.

Based on feedback, the NZTA had changed the phasing of the lights, which meant the cycle phase ran both at the start and finish of the highway traffic green phase, Mr Underwood said.

Initially, the cycle phase timing would be kept short, as turning traffic also needed to clear the intersection, but it could be adapted through the road detection system or monitoring, he said.

Each intersection would would continue to be monitored.

The Dunedin City Council has already installed seven Barnes Dances at central city intersections, and has one more planned, for the intersection of Great King and St Andrew Sts.

Council transport manager Richard Saunders said the council was aware and supportive of the NZTA’s plans.

PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN Go, go, go . . . Recent changes to the phasing of the oneway cycle lane lights heading south mean cyclists now have two phases in which they have the right of way, when previously they only had one.