Intersection with Rauparaha St key feature of work

Map highlighting improvement areas in Te Moana Rd.

A series of safety improvements are planned to start early next year along the Te Moana Rd corridor in Waikanae.

"It's great to see Te Moana Rd next on the list for district-wide traffic improvements aimed at enhancing the safety of vulnerable users in the community," said councillor James Cootes, who is the transportation portfolio holder.

"Te Moana is another busy road in our district.

"It can be hard for pedestrians to cross safely, it's difficult for vehicle users to make right-hand turns into side streets and the intersection of Te Moana Rd and Rauparaha St has been a longstanding safety issue."

Access and transport manager Glen O'Connor said there have been serious road crashes at the intersection in recent years.

"This is just not good enough.

"We know it's unsafe and we need to make safety improvements as soon as possible.

"Currently the layout of the Te Moana Rd and Rauparaha St intersection gives priority to Rauparaha St traffic even though that's got less traffic than Te Moana Rd.

"The layout makes it difficult for people to look left and right easily, meaning it is hard to see what's coming and how fast it's coming."

Changes will see the layout altered to a T intersection which will improve visibility and give right of way to Te Moana Rd traffic.

In practice this will mean a new stop or give way sign will be installed at the intersection for vehicles travelling from Rauparaha St on to Te Moana Rd.

Traffic entering Rauparaha St from the east of Te Moana Rd will need to wait at a median strip before turning.

These changes will provide a great outcome within budget, O'Connor said.

"If there are significant increases in traffic growth in future, beyond expected projections, then the intersection will be reviewed, and a roundabout may be considered.

"A roundabout is not currently warranted given the traffic volumes and issues.

"However, we're not ruling it out in future if we needed to cope with an increase in traffic."

O'Connor said a roundabout would cost about $600,000 to $800,000 which is 10 times more than the planned intersection layout changes for early next year.

As well as changes to the intersection, work also includes:

* Installing three pedestrian refuge islands on Te Moana Rd between the Expressway and Old SH1 to make crossing this road safer for pedestrians.

* A painted median along the centre of Te Moana Rd to make right turns into side roads safer.

* A shared path from near the golf club entrance, on the northern side of Te Moana Rd, linking up with the existing path in front of the tennis club.

* Altering the bus layby on Rauparaha St by locating this nearer to the traffic lane.

This improves sightlines for bus drivers, and makes it safer and easier for the bus to merge back into traffic.

The work is being co-funded by the council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.