Waipawa roundabout: Traffic congestion saving measure or crash waiting to happen?

Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Alex Walker standing at the new Waipawa roundabout under trial. Photo / Michaela Gower

Central Hawke’s Bay locals are taking to Facebook to air their complaints about a roundabout and pedestrian crossing designed to ease congestion and reduce speed through Waipawa.

The roundabout that was constructed at the State Highway 2 and Ruataniwha St intersection, at the beginning of June, has caused some confusion to road users.

It is a Central Hawke’s Bay District Council Streets for People project 90% funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

Local woman Faye Te Nahu travels the roundabout daily for work and felt it had allowed for better traffic flow, but said it had its challenges.

Her sister-in-law was involved in a crash at the roundabout on June 17.

“She was in the motion of moving around the roundabout when a vehicle came from the left heading to Waipukurau, this vehicle didn’t slow down to give way to her and hit her vehicle, causing a fair amount of damage to the front of her car.”

A CHBDC spokesperson said the council was aware there had been a report of an incident in Waipawa recently on social media accounts but they had not been directly informed of any crashes since its installation.

Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Alex Walker standing at the new Waipawa roundabout under trial. Photo / Michaela Gower

“The effectiveness of the trial interventions should be apparent within three months, during which time council is open to community feedback, but there is no specific timeframe for the trial.”

A CHBDC spokesperson said the additions will be made permanent, relocated or removed, depending on the monitoring results.

The pedestrian crossing was painted on June 23 and a CHBDC spokesperson said it had “not proved problematic since its installation”.

“The roundabout has always been an absolute priority in this project and garnered a lot of support from the community, retailers, heavy transport operators and the co-design group.”

The roundabout placement had been designed and installed on vehicle tracking lines and was tested by heavy trucks and trailers before the installation.

Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker said the way the traffic interacts with the High St was a hindrance and a concern.

“When you have a state highway that goes through the middle of you it’s like having a brick wall.”

She said it was a “no-brainer” to try and fix the “long-standing” issues faced by the community.

The roundabout has been designed to ease congestion and reduce speed. Photo / Michaela Gower

The independent monitoring of the Streets for People interventions in Waipawa will be extended into July due to the wet weather delaying construction, to capture data post-project construction completion.

A CHBDC spokesperson said over the next week, the project contractor aimed to complete all line marking (weather permitting), install safety bollards and other street furnishings, and install permanent signage.

The public can provide feedback on the Streets for People projects including the roundabout at letstalkchb.co.nz.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay newsrooms. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.