The safety improvements project on High Street, Motueka, is almost complete with the last set of traffic signals – at the High and Tudor Street intersection – set to be switched on early next week.
The $6.8 million, SH60 project is funded through the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, which is delivering safety improvements around the country. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency began the Motueka works in August.
“This final set of traffic signals, along with those recently installed at the Pah/Greenwood/High Street intersection and the pedestrian signals on High Street will make it safer for everyone driving, biking, or walking around Motueka’s busy town centre,” says Emma Speight, Director Regional Relationships for Waka Kotahi.
“We are pleased we have been able to complete this project on schedule ahead of winter and we thank everyone in the community, the business operators and people driving through Motueka for their patience while this work has been underway.”
The traffic signals will start flashing amber around 11am on Tuesday, which will alert people to the activation underway. Once activated, all signals will go red, stopping everyone. Then the phased sequence will allow traffic to flow.
The traffic signals at the Tudor and High Street intersection also have lights for people walking across the road. People will need to press the button which signals that someone is waiting to cross.
To complete the traffic signals, there will be one night road closure for High Street on Monday, 11 April from 7pm to 5am. This will involve a full road closure from Tudor St to Greenwood Street.
There will be a detour in place through Thorp St along Tudor and Greenwood Streets. Heavy vehicles will need to use the Queen Victoria Street detour route.
Waka Kotahi has been monitoring the new roundabout at the High Street/Old Wharf Road/King Edward Street intersection to ensure it is working as designed, including reviewing the grey painted areas near the pedestrian crossing.
While this review is underway, the crew will be installing warning signs to alert people that this area could be slippery when wet and placing a temporary reduced speed limit of 30km/h at the roundabout.
It is important anyone crossing the road crosses at the designated pedestrian crossing points on the white pedestrian crossing lines, and drivers and cyclists obey the temporary speed restrictions at this intersection.
