Large speed bumps recommended for dangerous Christchurch roundabout
From reporter Steven Walton:
Controversial enlarged speed bumps are being recommended for a Christchurch roundabout to stop cars crashing with cyclists.
Christchurch City Council staff are recommending a raft of safety tweaks for the roundabout at the bottom of the Port Hills, which connects Dyers Pass Rd, Colombo St, Cashmere Rd and Centaurus Rd.
The Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote community board will decide at a meeting next week whether to go ahead with the staff recommendations.
During public consultation, the majority of people who lived near the roundabout did not support the changes or did not indicate their preference. Some feared it could worsen congestion.
One aspect of the tweaks was adding raised safety platforms at each roundabout entrance.
Similar platforms were previously added at a Lincoln Rd intersection and have faced criticism from some city councillors and mayor Phil Mauger.
Councillor Aaron Keown previously claimed the council does not have a mandate to install the platforms.
Another raised platform on Opawa Rd had not drawn any criticism.
In the case of this roundabout, council staff say a raised platform would reduce entry speed and therefore improve safety.
Staff said if people were hit by a car travelling at 50kph their chances of survival are 20%, but their survival chances would shoot up to 90% if the car’s speed was only 30kph.
Between 2012 and 2021, 27 crashes had occurred at the roundabout, with 10 of them resulting in serious injuries.
In all the instances of serious injuries, the crashes involved a cyclist, motorbike or scooter.
Council staff said about 2200 cars and 65 cyclists used the roundabout during the morning rush. About 2400 cars and 90 cyclists used it at peak time in the evening.
Other tweaks proposed by council staff were narrower entry lanes to the roundabout, wider pedestrian islands, and improved pedestrian crossing locations.
Council staff received a mixed reception when they consulted the public about the work.
Out of a total of 426 submissions, 197 did not indicate whether they supported the changes, 86 were in favour, and 143 were against.
About 150 submitters suggested that solving safety issues at the intersection would require traffic lights.
Council staff say this would not help safety and could cost $2.5 million, whereas the recommended tweaks would only cost $450,000.
The tweaks would be paid by the Government, thanks to a $40m cash injection for roading projects that was first promised in 2017.
Council staff noted that “the majority of submitters who live within the vicinity of the roundabout ... either did not support the changes or did not give a clear indication”.
The area’s community board will meet at 4pm on Thursday, April 13 to decide whether to go ahead with the proposed tweaks.
We're talking new year resolutions...
Tidying the house before going to bed each night, meditating upon waking or taking the stairs at work.
What’s something quick, or easy, that you started doing that made a major positive change in your life?
Light up your life
The Karen Walker Paints collection from Resene will see you sprucing up your home in style with this simple but fun project using your favourite Karen Walker testpot colours. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
Is now the time to change "The Garden City" Title?
Something to natter about over tonight's events.
Since the 2010/2011 Earthquakes, Christchurch has struggled to replicate or make a come-back to regain the "Garden City" title.
There are a large number of contributing factors, land and properties being destroyed and rendered inhabitable = gardens lost for many years or altogether, during the Chaos that followed, residents, businesses and the council had far greater priorities to worry about.
Now the dust has mostly settled, it is becoming more and more obvious that "The Garden City" title can never be lived up to again.
My observations are decisions are being made that are making it impossible:
Huge chunks of land are now mown wastelands, for exercising and dog walking.
Other areas have been converted into water retention/nature and wildlife reserves, none of the plans I have seen or heard, indicate a move back to a Garden City image.
Add to this that high-density housing is reducing the land to grow a garden on and the latest charging for water usage has had a visible effect on how people keep the berm outside their houses. Lots of the properties that are still intact for gardening are now rental properties and it is not hard to see which of those properties are as you drive around, but lots would not win the Garden Award.
I am not in favour or against any of the factors mentioned, I heard chch referred to as "The Garden City" and thought if we had to come up with a new name, what would we want it to be, that reflects a new Image?
Cathedral City is out
Cycle City.....
Wetland wonderland ......
Dog-Friendly City.
I hope you receive all that you deserve in 2025
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