New traffic signals at the intersection with Jervois Street that come into operation from early Saturday,17 April, mark the completion of a half million dollar safety upgrade of the Crawford Street Dunedin section of State Highway 1 (SH 1).
There have been 76 crashes on the Crawford Street section of SH1 over the last five years - about half of these were at intersections. The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Otago-Southland Highways Manager, Niclas Johansson says the commissioning of the signals on Saturday depends on dry weather so the new road markings can be painted at the same time. The new signals, along with other intersection improvements in the area, should help reduce the number of crashes. The new Jervois Street traffic signals will also make it safer for pedestrians crossing Crawford Street to go to shops in the area.
“It is likely that drivers in the area will be attracted to the new Jervois Street traffic signals as they offer a safer place to cross Crawford Street. Provision for large vehicles will also make it a more convenient route for road freight in the City. The new signals are linked to others to provide a “green wave”. This means that most vehicles travelling at 50 km/hour on this section of Crawford Street should not have to stop at subsequent intersections. ”
Mr Johansson says the completed project also sees cycles lanes now in both directions on SH1 all the way from Andersons Bay Road to the Botanical Garden and have already resulted in an increased number of cyclists on this section of SH1.
The NZTA soon expect to start work on installing a new set of traffic signals to improve safety at the intersection of Duke Street and Great King Street near the Botanical Gardens.
