Pedestrian refuges to boost child safety

Photo / Natalie Slade

Work has begun on installing a roundabout and pedestrian refuges at the difficult intersection of Jervois Rd and West End Rd, in Herne Bay, Auckland.

Auckland Transport has developed the project in collaboration with the neighbouring Bayfield Primary School to encourage more children to walk safely from home and back.

A report on Auckland Transport activities to the Waitemata Local Board points to concerns raised by the school about pedestrian safety at the busy intersection, which is at the crest of a hill.

"This intersection is also a crash black spot and vehicles have been observed travelling at relatively high speeds when turning left from Jervois Rd into West End Rd," the report says.

Project designers hope to slow traffic, installing islands on all three approaches to the new roundabout, two of which will act as pedestrian refuges.

Construction began last week and is expected to take about a month.

The project has been welcomed by the chairwoman of Bayfield Primary's board, Alison Brewer, who said the roads were too wide for children to cross safely without refuges in the middle.

Another safety project in the local board's area has begun along Ian McKinnon Drive through Eden Terrace, in the form of new and improved footpaths, on-road cycle lanes and short sections of 3-metre-wide shared pathways.

Auckland Transport is also considering whether to lower the speed limit from 70km/h to 60km/h.