Hospital roadworks to begin on Monday

Roadworks to improve the safety of Whangarei Hospital entrances on Maunu Rd are due to begin on Monday.

Work to install new traffic lights and extended cycle lanes aims to increase safety at the busy Whangarei Hospital entrance and ease motorists' frustration.

Contractors Fulton Hogan would be installing traffic lights at the intersection of State Highway 14 (Maunu Rd) and Hospital Rd, extending the cycle lanes, and providing a painted median along the state highway.

Work was to begin on Thursday, but contractors are now hoping for a Monday start, weather permitting.

A temporary traffic management plan is in place with a speed limit of 30km/h until works finish in April. Work is under way from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday.

The first stage of the NZ Transport Agency project includes a revised traffic layout, removing the existing islands to facilitate the revised temporary traffic layouts.

When the islands are gone the traffic lanes will be moved sideways towards the hospital side of the road.

In stage two, the new signal and street light structures will be installed, which will involve laying new ducts, kerb and channels, driveways and footpaths.

The traffic lanes will then be shifted to the north side for stage three, with new signal and street light structures installed on this side.

This will also involve new ducts, kerbs and channels, bus bay and footpaths.

Finally, the existing road would be repaired and the new asphalt surface laid with the new traffic layout to be road marked.

"These improvements will make it safer and easier for everyone travelling into and out of what's become a very busy hospital servicing the wider area," said Northland highway manager Brett Gliddon.

"As traffic volumes have grown it's become increasingly difficult for staff, visitors and patients to turn out of Hospital Rd and either left or right on the state highway."

The upgrade would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists by extending the existing cycle lanes a further 700m along the state highway to just past Hospital Rd. This would also boost cycle connections between Maunu and the city.

Preparation works were finished before Christmas.

Some property access would be affected for short periods. Residents should take extra care and follow the directions of work crew when driving in and out of their properties.