QEII Drive in Christchurch which is being made safer by NZTA for motorists and school children.
QEII Drive in Christchurch which is being made safer by NZTA for motorists and school children.
QEII Drive is a long and straight road with virtually nil safety barriers, says Tim Grocott, the associate headmaster of Shirley Boys' High School in Christchurch.
"It is an 80km/h zone, it is not at all lit at night so those sort of things suggest there is always going to be an element of risk," he said.
In September last year, a car appeared to cross onto the wrong side of the road into the path of a van. The 86-year-old woman driver of the car was trapped in her vehicle and died at the scene. In February this year, a motorcyclist was killed on the road.
These were the first deaths on QEII since the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, which have led to new residential subdivisions springing up on the northern fringes of the city, plus the rebuild of Avonside Girls' High School and Shirley Boys' High School at QEII Park.
Shirley Boys' High School associate headmaster Tim Grocott.
Grocott said QEII Drive will be a major route to the new schools, due to open in April next yearfor more than 2000 secondary school students and any improvements are absolutely crucial for students making their way to school on bikes and walking.
Shaun Creek, a local real estate agent for Bayleys, said the area around QEII Drive was experiencing a huge population increase post-quake with a lot of people moving out of the red zones to new subdivisions at Prestons and Prestons Park which housed 8000 residents.
The growth, combined with the new schools and upgrade of the QEII pool, made the safety improvements "a must have", he said.
Real estate agent Shaun Creek.
The NZ Transport Agency is spending $2.5 million to install a median and side barriers on the highway, widen the shoulder, lay new asphalt and paint road markings to make it easier to see in the dark and wet conditions.
NZTA system manager Pete Connors said new residential developments and the new schools mean the road and shared path will only get busier.
Installing safety barriers, he said, will make a real difference on the high-risk highway as many of the crashes in recent years have been head-on or run-off road. They will also protect people who use a nearby shared path to walk and cycle to school or work.
"Flexible road safety barriers "catch" vehicles that leave their lane before they hit something less forgiving – like other vehicles or roadside hazards such as trees, poles and ditches.
"When a vehicle hits a barrier, the high-tension wire cables flex, slowing down the vehicle and keeping it upright during and after a collision. The barrier absorbs the impact, reducing the force on the people in the vehicle," he said.
The contractor, Higgins, is beginning preliminary works in the New Year. Speed restrictions and other traffic management will be in place at times during the work, which is expected to be finished in mid-2019.
Project: QEII Drive, between Marshland and Burwood, Christchurch. Two deaths and 16 serious injuries since 2003.
What's happening: Safety barriers installed down the middle and sides of the highway, shoulder widening, new asphalt surfacing and road markings to make it easier to see in the dark and wet conditions. Improvements driven by opening of Avonside Girls' High and Shirley Boys' High in early 2019 and new residential developments making the road busier.
Cost: $2.5 million
For more information go to: www.nzta.govt.nz/sh74-marshland-to-burwood
