On weekday mornings Papamoa's Tara Rd is choked with traffic accessing the roundabout which also services Domain Rd. Photo / Carmen Hall
On weekday mornings Papamoa's Tara Rd is choked with traffic accessing the roundabout which also services Domain Rd. Photo / Carmen Hall
A major intersection at Papamoa has been labelled dangerous by fed-up motorists who say traffic on the road is gridlocked every morning.
Mount Maunganui-Papamoa ward councillor Steve Morris likened the situation at the Tara Rd, Domain Rd roundabout to "a turkey shoot" as "people from Tara Rd try to runacross quickly before the Domain Road traffic comes at them".
The problem was definitely an issue, he said as Tara Rd drivers were reliant on the goodwill of Domain Rd users to let them in, over another lane dedicated to traffic heading to Te Puke.
"The dynamics have changed since the roundabout replaced the old T-intersection ... but people were pretty good in the mornings letting people through and just being good human beings."
However he said it was just the first stage of an arduous journey into Tauranga.
Papamoa resident Glen Dunkley said he left for work 30 minutes earlier to avoid the "chaos" that started at 7.15am on the Tara Rd, Domain Rd roundabout.
He lived on Royal Ascot Drive and said motorists were merging like a zip but it meant people could possibly make a few rash decisions.
He said anyone coming off Tara Rd was "screwed" as motorists gave way to traffic off Domain Rd, which got blocked up. Then it is a short distance to the second temporary roundabout where you give way to two lanes of traffic heading south on State Highway 2.
"I am watching out now for what people are doing. But people that are new to the area or just passing through could potentially cut you up, you have to be careful."
Sue Hammond agrees and said that yesterday morning she nearly got hit by a logging truck on her way to Te Puke when she was driving through the temporary roundabout.
"It's dual lanes I was behind a car turning to go to Te Puke as well, he went into the roundabout on the outside lane and a vehicle on the inside lane cut across in front of him. We stopped suddenly but the logging truck which was in our lane just kept going."
City councilor Steve Morris.
Tauranga City Council transport manager Martin Parkes said congestion was an issue in this area at certain times of the day.
"This will continue while the Tauranga Eastern Link is still being constructed. Once the project is complete, this time next year, the efficiency of the road network in this area will significantly improve."
NZ Transport Agency's Bay of Plenty highway manager Niclas Johansson said the project team had received few concerns regarding congestion through the area as people understood it was a temporary layout. "No serious crashes have been reported. On completion, the TEL would separate local and state highway traffic, easing congestion through the two roundabouts."
When the Mangatawa interchange opens it will also change some drivers' behaviour who travel along Papamoa Beach Rd as they are able to access the state highway from Sandhurst Drive, he said.
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