The intersection at Napier Rd / Kiddle Dr / Arrowsmith Ave, Taupō. Photo / NZME
The intersection at Napier Rd / Kiddle Dr / Arrowsmith Ave, Taupō. Photo / NZME
The Taupō District Council has decided to push ahead with a roundabout at a dangerous Taupō intersection, despite the potential risk it could wind up nearly $1 million out of pocket.
At its meeting yesterday, the council had to consider whether it should take on the financial risk of the entire $1.95 million Kiddle Drive/Napier Rd/Arrowsmith Ave intersection upgrade or wait until September to hear whether Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency would contribute 51 per cent ($996,000) of the cost.
The intersection has been the subject of controversy ever since traffic priority at it was changed in 2019. In 2014, Waka Kotahi ranked the intersection No 3 in its list of the country's 100 most-dangerous intersections. From 2003 to 2012, there were 18 crashes with 29 people injured (four seriously) and one fatality.
The intersection was also a bottleneck at peak times and considered unsafe for the many school students on foot or cycles who crossed it each day.
A priority change, with stop signs installed on Napier Rd, was installed in 2019 as an interim measure while the council waited for planning and design work for a roundabout, along with the money to install it.
But the change of priority from Napier Rd to Kiddle Drive and Arrowsmith Ave caught some drivers by surprise, with numerous reports of vehicles going through the stop signs on Napier Rd and causing accidents or near-misses, including one last November in which a woman's neck was broken.
A roundabout concept design from the Napier Road / Kiddle Drive / Arrowsmith Avenue Intersection Optioneering Report in February 2020. Covid-19 put the project on hold last year. Graphic / Supplied
A report from the council's senior engineering officer Bryson Huxley at the council meeting yesterday said while the normal process would be to wait until Waka Kotahi had confirmed whether it would contribute funding, there was a desire from the community and council to start the roundabout sooner.
However, if the council wanted to go ahead instead of waiting it would have to assume the full financial risk for the cost of the roundabout, the report said. If the council elected to wait for Waka Kotahi's decision, then construction would not begin until October and there was a risk of further crashes.
The report concluded that the best option was to go ahead despite the financial risk.
"This is an important safety project and delaying this has safety risks for the community."
Mr Huxley told the council that if it was willing to take on the financial risk of the roundabout, construction could potentially start in August. If Waka Kotahi confirmed in September it would fund the $996,000, then the council would be able to claim backdated funding to July 1.
Cr Kevin Taylor said there was a risk to the council either way.
"Either an ongoing safety risk or the financial risk, which is in my view one we have very little choice but to accept."
Cr Kathy Guy agreed, saying the council had gone backwards and forwards on the issue.
"It's time to put a stake in the ground and say 'we're going to do this'."
The council resolved to push ahead with the roundabout this year and has budgeted money for it in its Long-Term Plan as well as submitting for funding in the Regional Land Transport Plan and the National Land Transport Programme.
When Mayor David Trewavas asked Mr Huxley how confident he was that the council would be able to secure the Waka Kotahi funding. Mr Huxley said he was "reasonably confident'.
"Good man," Mr Trewavas replied. "Just wanted to get that on the record."
