The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is seeking community feedback on three options to increase safety and reduce congestion at the Russley Road/Memorial Ave intersection – an intersection that has over 45,000 vehicles passing through it every day.
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is seeking community feedback on three options to increase safety and reduce congestion at the Russley Road/Memorial Ave intersection – an intersection that has over 45,000 vehicles passing through it every day.
This project is part of the Christchurch Western Corridor identified by the Government as part of the Roads of National Significance programme. Once upgraded, the Western Corridor will support economic growth, reduce congestion and improve safety in the Canterbury region. The Roads of National Significance programme for Canterbury includes the Northern Arterial from the existing Northern Motorway to Queen Elizabeth II Drive (SH74), the Southern Motorway extension (SH73) from Curletts Road to Weedons Road north of Rolleston, and the Western Corridor (SH1) from Hornby to the Northern Motorway.
The NZTA’s Canterbury State Highways Manager Colin Knaggs says the NZTA has carried out extensive investigations into the options to address the existing safety, congestion and traffic delay issues at the Russley Road/Memorial Ave intersection. Three potential options have been identified and now it is time for the community to say what they think of these.
“Ensuring the State Highway continues to operate safely and efficiently while enhancing access to the Airport is the primary goal for the upgrade of this intersection. Since all visitors and businesses using the airport travel through the Memorial Avenue/Russley Road intersection, much of the future wealth and prosperity of the region relies upon the getting this intersection right.”
The three potential options are:
Mr Knaggs says the intersection is becoming a traffic bottleneck with major congestion during peak-hour traffic. This situation will worsen as traffic volumes continue rising on both Russley Road (SH1) and Memorial Avenue - compromising road safety and increasing travel times to and from the Airport. Whatever upgrade option is chosen will take into account the needs of pedestrian and cyclists who are not well catered for at the current intersection.
Mr Knaggs encourages not only the local community and businesses, but those in the greater Christchurch area to take the time to give their feedback on what is a significant project for the City and wider Canterbury region. It is important that the option chosen to improve safety and ease congestion at this busy intersection reflects as far as possible the wishes of the community, while allowing for the engineering requirements. This opportunity for the community to provide feedback on the three options under consideration is a vital step toward achieving that.
The NZTA is assessing all the potential environmental effects that this project may have on the community. This includes noise, cultural, heritage, urban design and traffic and construction related impacts.
The options for improving the Russley Road (SH1) / Memorial Avenue intersection are available at www.nzta.govt.nz/memorialintersection (external link). An online feedback form can also be downloaded from this website. Copies of the consultation newsletter and feedback forms are also available at the Hornby, Fendalton, Papanui and Riccarton libraries. The last day for providing feedback is Friday 26 March 2010.
