New signs for notorious Whanganui crash spot where cars smash into fences, houses

Whanganui District Council has put up new signs to try and reduce accidents on the Totara St / Fitzherbert Ave corner. Photo/Bevan Conley

Extra warning signs have been put up on the corner of Fitzherbert Ave and Totara St, and the Whanganui District Council is working with police to monitor the area.

Slippery when wet signs have been added to both approaches, the 35km/h advisory signs have been repositioned to be more visible and the chevron signs are bigger and brighter.

The move follows a spate of accidents on the bend, the latest in January, when a car smashed through three fences, a parked caravan and a garage.

Council senior roading engineer Rui Leitao said the new signs should all be more visible to drivers coming into the corner from either end.

Mr Leitao said police also planned to increase their presence in the area when it was wet.

"So we are working with police to try to monitor and control the way people drive around there.

"The police feel [the signs] are an appropriate solution at this stage."

Meanwhile, Fitzherbert Ave neighbours Sandra Watson (who has had her fence hit 10 times) and Teresa Payton are collecting signatures for a petition to ask the council to install a roundabout on the corner as a long-term solution.

But the council has plans to extend Fitzherbert Ave through to Mosston Rd which would create a permanent fix by creating a T-intersection and a stop sign at the Totara St intersection.

Council is yet to confirm if the work will be included in the 2018-2028 long-term plan.