Spring Creek safety improvements

Marlborough Roads is improving the Spring Creek intersection of State Highway 1 with State Highway 62 and Ferry Road, north of Blenheim. This intersection has a history of safety issues which need to be addressed. We're also making it easier and safer for people to travel in, through and to the Spring Creek area, by simplifying how people turn on to, or off, the highway.

In the past 10 years, 32 people have crashed their vehicles at the intersection of State Highway 1 and State Highway 62 / Ferry Road at Spring Creek between Picton and Blenheim. Nearly 90% of these crashes have happened while the driver was turning at the intersection.

Benefits

Reduction in the number of crashes which means fewer road users will be injured.

Key benefits the project will deliver include:

Improving the safety and efficiency at the intersection and environs;
Accommodating the needs for the safe movement of pedestrians and cyclists;
Maintaining an acceptable level of service for traffic on the National Strategic SH1 south;
Accommodating and maintaining local business access insofar as reasonably and safely possible;
Accommodating turning traffic with the least impediment to SH1 through traffic in particular in relation to railway traffic movements; and
Catering for future travel demands.

SH1 and SH62 are important routes for people to travel to and from the Marlborough region and are also heavily relied on by heavy vehicles and freight moving to and from the ferry at Picton.

Project features

Included in the design of the intersection is a new roundabout, traffic islands on all approaches, a layby on the southern approach to the roundabout for heavy vehicles waiting to turn right into Ferry Road, rail crossing barrier arms, new footpaths and cycle facilities, and a dedicated left-hand turn lane to Ferry Road. Landscaping and new signs (some electronic, some directional) will be installed once the layout has been completed.