Selwyn Times: April 17, 2019

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday April 17 2019 5
Poll supports intersection lights
• By Anan Zaki
MORE CALLS have been made
to upgrade a controversial
intersection in West Melton.
Residents took part in an
online poll last week – quizzing
people about their views on
the long running subject of
improving the intersection at
State Highway
73 and Weedons
Ross Rd.
In the poll, 396
people called
for traffic lights;
102 wanted a
Bruce
Russell
Jeff Bland
roundabout;
seven an
overpass; one
wanted to create
a four-way stop
sign; and one to
do nothing.
West Melton
Residents’
Association
member Bruce
Russell said
residents are preparing a
petition to take to Parliament,
which will call for traffic lights
to be installed.
The poll indicated residents’
desire to improve safety, he said.
“We’re looking at doing a
petition that we can present.
BUSY: West Melton residents want to install traffic lights at the
intersection of State Highway 73 and Weedons Ross Rd.
PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER
We’ve formed a small
committee to look after it,” Mr
Russell said.
He hopes to start collecting
signatures this month.
The intersection is managed
by the New Zealand Transport
Agency – which operates the
state highway network.
Selwyn Times reported in
October that proposed upgrades
for the intersection weren’t
included in NZTA’s national
land transport programme for
2018-21, which was released last
year.
An NZTA spokeswoman said
it is aware of residents’ concerns,
but there is no change in the
priority for traffic signals at the
intersection.
“While the projects listed
are not currently indicated
for funding in this three-year
period 2018-21, they are still
retained in the programme
should funding become
available in the future or their
relative priority increase,” the
spokeswoman said.
Mr Russell has been
campaigning to improve the
intersection for more than 10
years. He said the road is too
narrow for a roundabout and
overpass, so traffic lights are the
Sate Highway 73/
Weedons Ross Rd
intersection crashes
since 2006:
•Fatal: 0
•Serious: 1
•Moderate: 0
•Minor/no injury: 10
SOURCE: NZTA
only viable option.
Weedons Ward district
councillor Jeff Bland said NZTA
needs to realise West Melton is
in a unique situation.
“West Melton was just a
small little nothing. There
was a pub there and a few
houses. The problem was, and
still is, you couldn’t see the
houses when you’re travelling
on State Highway 73 either
going towards or away from
Christchurch,” Cr Bland
said.
Traffic lights would slow the
traffic down, he said.
Cr Bland intends to sign the
petition if it goes ahead.
Mr Russell said he doesn’t
want to wait for a fatality before
action is taken.
“We’re going to get a
tremendous amount of traffic
coming up Weedons Ross Rd
when the motorway opens,” he
said.
Local
News
Now
• By Anan Zaki
Fire rages, homes at risk
Shands Rd
closed
during Easter
A BUSY route into the district will
be closed for more than a week
during Easter.
Shands Rd is closing again from
Saturday to next Sunday due to
construction on an overbridge
planned for the road.
The road will be closed at its
intersection with Marshs Rd, the
New Zealand Transport Agency
said.
Once completed, the overbridge
will carry traffic over stage two of
the $195 million Southern Motorway,
due to open early next year.
Detours will be in place for
traffic to divert onto Blakes, Main
South and Trents Rds.
NZTA contractors are also
constructing a full grade separated
diamond interchange at Shands
Rd.
NZTA principal project
manager Geoff Griffiths said
traffic is planned to go over
the new bridge in the next two
months, depending on weather
and construction progress.
Further closures on Shands Rd
are planned for May 4 and 5.
In the last traffic count in 2016,
4431 vehicles travelled through the
intersection.
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