Road ahead will soon cut sports park congestion

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule, left and Russell Roads contractor Peter Russell look over plans on the latest roading project at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park, Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

Frustrating weekend traffic jams around Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park should become a thing of the past by next month with the opening of a new access road into the busy Hastings winter sports venue.

Hastings District Council says a new 600m road into the sports park - off Lyndhurst Rd, in Frimley - should be ready for use within three or four weeks' time.

The council said yesterday the $883,000 project to complete the second entry into the facility was running on time and on budget.

The popularity of the park's 18 netball courts, which have been fully booked for team competitions on Saturdays, has led to traffic congestion in and out of the facility through the only current access way, Percival Rd (off Evenden Rd).

Sports park chief executive Jock Mackintosh said having a second entrance to the park will "make a massive difference to traffic flows".

He said the growth of netball had been a "real success story" for the park but it had caused traffic issues. "It's great to have the new entrance ready so close to the start of the winter sports season."

Contractor Russell Roads had assured the council the new road would be open by early June.

Some "final finishing touches" are required to complete kerbing, speed bumps, and the Lyndhurst Rd intersection into the park.

Street lights are due to be installed the week after next.

The new road, an extension of Percival Rd, incorporates a shared cycle and pedestrian way. It includes angle parks along its length to increase parking at the venue.

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said with netball use growing strongly, traffic issues had been the biggest criticism from users of the facility, prompting the council to bring forward plans for the new access way.

"It's great that the council has brought it forward and got this sorted. It should be a big help in terms people getting in and out of there," he said.

The plan
What: A new 600m road into Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park.
Where: The road will be located off Lyndhurst Rd in Frimley.
When: It is expected to be ready for use within a month.
Why: To improve traffic congestion in and out of the sports park.
How: It is the Hastings District Council's $883,000 project.