SH2 intersection a disgrace, Katikati school teacher tells council

A design fault at the intersection of Omokoroa Rd and State Highway 2 means motorists are being forced to breach Road Code rules, says an Omokoroa teacher.

Corina Godkin took aim at roading and planning authorities in her submission on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's controversial draft Land Transport Plan.

The lower ranking of projects to improve safety on SH2 has ignited opposition from residents and community groups living along the busy highway between Tauranga and Katikati.

Godkin also accused Western Bay's planning umbrella, SmartGrowth, of failing to live up to its promise to effectively manage growth in her booming township.

The Katikati school teacher who has lived at Omokoroa for 21 years called the intersection a disgrace. ''It scares me each time I drive up to it when I have to turn right to Katikati.''

The design fault was that there was no visibility from one direction when two cars were side-by-side at the yellow line waiting to turn left and right, she said.

''I laugh with disbelief when I read the Road Code on intersections controlled by a stop sign. It says you must stop where you can see vehicles coming from all directions. And you must not go until it is safe."

Godkin said she had tried sitting further back behind the yellow line to peep between the cars.

''This strategy sadly is not very successful.''

She said the situation was getting worse as traffic volumes increased. Her right turn was made even more difficult by having to give way to the many trades vehicles turning right into Omokoroa Rd.

When SmartGrowth announced many years ago that Omokoroa would become a major growth hub, people were told that the philosophy was to effectively manage growth.

''Well it certainly doesn't seem to be doing that.''

SmartGrowth's proviso for Omokoroa was that essential infrastructure including roading would be done.

''Now it is just more mess, more people and more dangerous ... the SmartGrowth plan was to live, work and play - well I just want everyone to live.''

Godkin understood that demand for sections in Omokoroa's Special Housing Area was so strong that the developer was fast-tracking the schedule.

''So [that means] more people with more cars earlier on our roads.''

Accidents on SH2 at Apata had closed the road three times during her first two months back at work this year, she said.

SmartGrowth's independent chairman, Bill Wasley, said there had been agreement for an integrated approach for development at Omokoroa, including transport connections between Tauranga and Omokoroa.

He said the commitments had been made in good faith. And while the Western Bay District Council had played its part, the four-laning of SH2 to Omokoroa had not happened.

Wasley said state highway funding arrangements could change between Governments and Transport Ministers.

''There are lessons in all this. Somehow we need to ensure that growth areas are well aligned with the transport provisions so one is not going ahead of the other.''