The NZ Transport Agency has completed its next phase of investigations into the access and safety issues along State Highway 1 through Tinwald and will next month present to the Ashburton District Council the preferred options to address the issues.
The Transport Agency’s Highway Manager Colin Knaggs says the Agency and its study partners the Ashburton District Council have spent the last 18 months working with community representatives to identify the issues and look at ways to make improvements to intersections, pedestrian access and safety.
“Our last workshop was earlier this week with Ashburton District councillors and staff, local business representatives, school principals and residents associations who provided invaluable feedback on a draft joint Programme Business Case for the Tinwald Corridor.”
He says the Agency is now working with the Ashburton District Council to finalise the paper which will be presented to the next Council meeting on 9 April.
The study has considered the corridor south of the Ashburton River Bridge, along which more than 22,000 vehicles travel each day. Growing traffic volumes and development in the area has resulted in access issues for vehicles turning right onto and off the highway, as well as safety concerns for cyclists and pedestrians crossing SH1.
”Once the programme of work has been endorsed by the District Council, the Transport Agency will confirm the Programme Business Case to begin to develop the preferred options,” says Mr Knaggs.
“This would involve design work, public consultation, finalising detailed costs and securing funding.”
Mr Knaggs says the earliest any capital works would be undertaken would be as part of the 2015-18 National Land Transport Programme and these works would need to be prioritised on a national basis.
For more information please contact:
Jan McCarthy
Media Manager - Christchurch
NZ Transport Agency
T: 03 964 2885
M: 021 427 442
E: jan.mccarthy@nzta.govt.nz
