13 December, 2024

Million-dollar safety project sparks concern

Safety upgrade… Work planned for the intersection of Vauxhall and Tanui Rds next year will create a raised road table to slow traffic, a new pedestrian crossing and an expanded footpath outside the Cheltenham Milk Bar

A $1 million pedestrian-safety project has been scheduled for the intersection of Vauxhall Rd and Tainui Rd – as requested by local residents – though some local politicians have misgivings.
Auckland Transport (AT) says the project due to begin mid next year will provide a traffic-slowing raised road table, a wider footpath by the Cheltenham Milk Bar and a new pedestrian crossing on Tainui Rd.
The build will require traffic diversions for up to two months.
The project update to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board last week followed public consultation on the project two years ago, after community lobbying for a scheme to make the area safer.
But board members expressed concern at costs and disruption to businesses. Two asked if the scheme could be pared back, by omitting the raised crossing.
Gavin Busch suggested speed bumps on Vauxhall Rd near Grove Rd and south of the shops might do just as well at slowing traffic for much less expense. Terence Harpur suggested these be trialled first, ahead of a bigger and more disruptive build.
Principal transportation engineer Jun Park said the area had a history of speeding and AT was responding to community interest in safety improvements.
While he liked the idea of a longer slow zone, he said the risk was that traffic would speed up again at the Vauxhall Rd shops.
He said the existing crossing was not to standard, being too narrow.
Raised tables had a proven track record of safety. “There’s good grounds to do such a drastic transformational project, given it’s got such high pedestrian usage.”
The community would be advised in the week before work began.
Chair Toni van Tonder said she and member George Wood were on the board last term when community members who had conducted speed tests called for safety modifications. This followed a serious injury to a cyclist who was hit by a car.
“Lots of people have had a near-miss there,” she said. She supported work being done, but wondered if the major expense of raising the road table might be avoided by using a coloured or textured surface.
While AT was at a stage of the project that it only needed to inform, not consult with the board, she said: “We would all sleep better at night if you considered some of these suggestions.”