Cure for Tauranga traffic pinch point two years away

Busy intersections at 15th Ave and Cameron Rd. Photo/file

A solution has been found to fix one of Tauranga's worst evening rush-hour pinch points, but the $2.5 million project might not get built for two years.

Tauranga City Council's transport committee yesterday backed a plan to add an extra outbound lane to 15th Ave, from Fraser St to Burrows St

Provided funding for the 450m-long widening made it into the council's 2018-28 Long Term Plan, it would ease pressure at the evening peak when traffic banked up along Fraser St from the 15th Ave lights.

The committee supported in principle the project to increase the outbound capacity of 15th Ave to two lanes by shifting the merge all the way down the hill to just before Burrows St.

A report to the meeting said it would reduce the queue spillback affecting Fraser St, and shorten the trip home for commuters.

The committee also supported the next $10 million stage to four lane the rest of 15th Ave from Cameron Rd to Turret Rd, provide a bus and high-occupancy vehicle lane and install signalised pedestrian/cycle crossings at Devonport Rd and Grace Rd. The Burrows St intersection would get traffic signals.

Construction of stage two would begin once the Baypark to Bayfair link was completed in 2020.

Councillor Steve Morris urged the committee to remember the pre-election pledge made by National in 2008 to fund the whole of the Central Corridor upgrade, including widening 15th Ave. They should be having discussions about the total $12.5 million of works for 15th Ave, otherwise the council would be doing work for the Government.

Potential savings for Tauranga ratepayers if the Government fulfilled its pledge for this stage of the Turret Rd/15th Ave widening would be $6.25 million because local roading works usually attracted a 50 per cent subsidy from the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Mr Morris said the council should be starting these conversations earlier, given some recent high-level statements by politicians.

The widening of 15th Ave was seen as a necessary precursor to four laning Turret Rd and the bridge.

Councillor Larry Baldock was concerned at the 15 or 20 years it would take to fix the rest of the city's strategic roading network including the Elizabeth St intersection with Takitimu Drive, Barkes Corner, Cameron Rd and Hewletts Rd.

He said the city had a proud history of paying for its own roads from tolls but it needed central government to deliver alternative ways for councils to raise the money needed for new roads.

A regional fuel tax based on council boundaries would be difficult because people could just nip over the boundary to fill up on cheaper fuel.

Existing issues impacting on 15th Ave
- Peak time congestion caused trip delays and rat running
- Ninety-two per cent of vehicles had one occupant
- Pressure increased by the number of schools in the area
- High number of crashes in the area
Source: Tauranga City Council