Safety work due to start on busy New Plymouth thoroughfare
Contentious road safety changes through one of New Plymouth’s busiest areas have been scheduled to start this week at the same time the council meets to approve more work.
Plans to improve the road layout, move bus stops and relocate parking spaces in the Blagdon and Spotswood corridors of State Highway 3 had previously been met with protests from shop owners in the area, as well as commuters getting in and out of the city.
After extended consultation periods, the New Plymouth District Council revised some of the plans but kept most of the original designs.
Council infrastructure manager Rui Leitao said the work between Bayly Rd and Pioneer Rd, as well as that scheduled on Devon St West and South Rd, would provide greater safety for all users, particularly a large volume of school children travelling in the area.
“It’s a very busy route that has some difficult intersections, especially for young and vulnerable users, and our goal is to make everyone safer on this stretch of road,” he said.
Part of the work would also see intersection improvements to make it easier for ambulances to exit Lorna St onto Devon St West.
The remaining work included relocating Spotswood College’s bus stop to the other side of the pedestrian crossing to improve visibility and create a shared path behind the bus stop.
An on-road cycling connection between Belair Ave and Bayly Rd would be built along with a shared pathway between Stuart Pl and Bayly Rd.
Parking spaces would be relocated from the north side of Devon St West to South Rd, while central refuge islands for pedestrians would be installed for anyone crossing across to the Blagdon shops.
The work was expected to take between four and sevens weeks to complete.
During that time there would be access to the Blagdon shops. However, parks would only be available behind the business area.
Meanwhile, council would have an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to approve further walking and cycling safety projects.
Council resolved in December to approve the work subject to final plans, with funding coming entirely from the $3.85 million approved by New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
Three options were before council for work in different areas using a staged approach, with a recommendation before them to deliver improvements starting from Bayly Rd to Dawson St.
A fourth option was to not approve the staged approach and return the funding.
“Any of the three options will deliver a significant safety improvement on the status quo, including physical separation with concrete separators at key pinch points of the cycle lane along the route,” a report said.
The work would be a significant downsizing of original plans that included raised crossings, in-lane bus stops and other improvements which had been earmarked for NZTA funding.
However, the Government withdrew the funding in March.