‘Depressing disc’ a cause for confusion

A new roundabout in Island Bay looks out of place, and is so confusing it could cause accidents, say residents.

Work started more than a week ago on the roundabout at the intersection of Reef St and The Esplanade in the southern suburb.

The $400,000 project, funded by the Greater Wellington Regional Council, is designed to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists, as well as making turning easier for bus drivers.

Currently, bus drivers make a U-turn at the other end of Reef St at the busy The Parade intersection, which incorporates two frequently used pedestrian crossings.

Island Bay resident Don Cunningham said he anticipated there would be accidents at the new roundabout because people were not used to it.

He used the intersection every day, and the location and design meant it could be confusing.

‘‘If you’re coming down Reef St to go down The Esplanade, usually you can’t see anything coming from the right.

‘‘But they haven’t got any markings there at the moment, which will no doubt help things.’’

The layout was confusing, he said. However, the roundabout would make the street marginally better for pedestrians if it slowed traffic.

Wellington City councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman, who lead’s the city’s portfolio for transport strategy and operations, said the change would take the bus turns away from the ‘‘constricted intersection’’ at The Parade and Reef St.

The roundabout project includes relocating bus stops in the area and providing a new lay-over areas for buses.

Some commented that the new roundabout needed plants. Twitter user Jo Bailey said she had hoped it would be planted with natives.

‘‘Looks like we get a concrete disc of depressingness,’’ she wrote.

Calvi-Freeman responded, saying that was a fair point. He suggested a sculpture in the middle of the roundabout, such as a dolphin, or a family on bikes.

Yesterday, he said he had already asked council officers to do something about that.

One of the roundabout’s requirements was a wide over-run allowance, he said. ‘‘It’s a piece of traffic engineering primarily, it wasn’t designed to be a gateway to Island Bay.

‘‘But I have asked them to have another look. I would have hoped for a raised planter with a specimen tree ... something low-maintenance.’’

Island Bay Residents’ Association president Vicki Greco said the regional council consulted the community about the changes, and at the time people were largely in favour.