Editorial: Intersection needs to be examined

Traffic experts and roading engineers would have examined the Rewa Rewa Rd intersection and the nearby Tauroa St intersection over and over again,

The section of State Highway 1 near the turnoff to Bunnings has been an accident waiting to happen for a long time.

A serious accident happened yesterday.

Four people - including two children - were taken to Whangarei Hospital yesterday after two vehicles collided near the intersection of State Highway 1 and Tauroa St.

This is the street used to access Bunnings, as well as residential properties in Raumanga.

Motorists heading into Whangarei city past Tauroa St tend to still be travelling at about 80km/h, having just come off SH1 from the Blue Goose end of town.

That's the outside lane.

On the inside lane, you get parallel northbound traffic that has exited Rewa Rewa Rd.

If you are in this lane, merging safely with the faster motorists is dangerous and challenging.

If you heading the other way, trying to turn into Tauroa St to go to Bunnings, then you are sometimes faced with two lanes of traffic hurtling toward you, with the outside lane generally travelling quicker.

It is like trying to turn across two lanes of motorway traffic.

And if you are pulling out of Tauroa St, again, gauging whether it is safe to pull out is difficult.

This is a frequently faced scenario - it is not meant to explain yesterday's accident.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash and I sincerely hope our readers, many who know this intersection well, take time to think positively for the families involved.

Several years ago, this intersection was created or remodelled.

Traffic experts and roading engineers would have examined the Rewa Rewa Rd intersection and the nearby Tauroa St intersection over and over again, contemplating the ramifications of the traffic flows and speed limits.

It is a busy highway, with two busy roads adjoining it.

It may be something that is already being looked at but, clearly, the area needs re-examining.

Yesterday's accident and many near misses are quite clearly, and loudly, telling us that.