Plan to fix hazardous Tauranga intersection

A slip lane and quick-fire stop/go signals are proposed for the intersection of Elizabeth St and Takitimu Drive. Photo/file

One of the most dangerous intersections in Tauranga looks set to get a major safety upgrade in the next three years thanks to the planned residential development in Tauriko West.

The risky manoeuvre of turning right out of Cambridge Rd on to SH29 could be eliminated by a link road connecting with a new major intersection planned to be built beside Tauriko School.

The intersection handling part of the Tauriko West subdivision and the school could also service traffic going to and from the Kaimais via Cambridge Rd

New Zealand Transport Agency senior transport planner Iain China outlined other improvements planned for between 2018-22 for Barkes Corner, and the intersection of Takitimu Drive and Elizabeth St.

It included installing traffic signals at the intersection of Cameron Rd and 3rd Ave.

The other major problem with the Cambridge Rd intersection, traffic banking up down Cambridge Rd in the morning peak, could be reduced by building a left-hand turn merge lane later this year running down the side of SH29 towards The Lakes.

Mr China and the council's transportation manager Martin Parkes outlined the changes to a transport committee workshop yesterday.

Mr Parkes said reducing the speed limit through Tauriko would also increase safety and improve the efficiency of the network.

Short-term improvements to Barkes Corner included a left-turn slip lane out of Pyes Pa Rd, increase the traffic stacking capacity for east-bound traffic on SH29, and a left-turn merge lane out of Cameron Rd.

The roundabout could be signalised although the long-term plan was to separate highway traffic from traffic going between Cameron Rd and Pyes Pa Rd.

"It is a complicated intersection, we need to tread carefully," Mr Parkes said.
Installing traffic signals would also need to include the nearby intersection of Cameron Rd and Maleme St.

Improvements to the Takitimu Drive/Elizabeth St roundabout included a left-turn slip lane to reduce traffic queuing from the direction of the Harbour Bridge in the morning peak.

An Auckland style rapid red/green signal could also be utilised at the intersection to allow traffic to flow better in the evening peak.

Signals were also planned to be installed at the intersection of Third Ave and Cameron to encourage traffic not to exit and enter the industrial area via Glasgow St.

Mr Parkes said the signals would be delivered when the 280-space private car park building was finished behind the ANZ Centre.

He said there were interesting manoeuvres from people doing right turns into Glasgow St and out of Glasgow St.

Councillor Larry Baldock said motorists coming down Elizabeth St did not realise they could stay in the inside lane and still turn left into Takitimu Drive.

Installing traffic lights at the intersection failed the New Zealand Transport Agency's safety review because of the speed of traffic coming from the Harbour Bridge.