Hastings roundabout support rules out need for hearings

There have been 25 crashes at the Nelson St/Eastbourne St intersection in the past five years, figures the Hastings council hopes a roundabout will improve. Photo / File

The Hastings District Council is looking to move ahead with a plan to install a roundabout at the Nelson St/Eastbourne St intersection, having received overwhelming endorsement of the proposal from submitters.

The roundabout was proposed after a NZ Transport Agency investigation showed that of the 25 vehicle crashes there in the past five years, 21 related to crossing or turning manoeuvres.

In a recent report to the council's works and services committee, strategic transportation engineer Nilesh Redekar said the NZTA recommended the roundabout that would be funded from long-term plan budgets for this financial year.

Submissions on the proposal closed on February 14, and of 150 responses received 144 were in favour of the roundabout.

Among the six against it there were calls for driver education on using roundabouts, for security cameras to be installed, and concerns were raised that it would create traffic delays due to the proximity of Heretaunga St.

In response Mr Redekar said driver education and security would not resolve the issues at the intersection, and that traffic delays would be experienced by some users, especially traffic on Nelson St, which didn't have to slow down at present.

"However the analysis confirms that the intersection overall will perform efficiently and safely."

With 96 per cent of the submitters backing the roundabout, the committee agreed to recommend to the full council that the green light be given to start construction without a public hearing on the matter.

It was proposed that the council write to all submitters and outline the results of the consultation and confirm that the project would progress to construction.

The project is currently funded as part of three-year LTP ending in June, with the work estimated to cost about $800,000, of which $432,000 would be subsidised by the NZTA.

Work on the roundabout would begin soon, targeted to be completed in June.