Safety improvements to begin on Welcome Bay Lane, Tauranga

Construction to improve safety at both ends of Welcome Bay Lane will begin next week.

NZ Transport Agency project manager John McCarthy said the improvements would allow Tauranga City Council to reopen Welcome Bay Lane to cars while managing the risks to people on bikes.

The improvements have been specifically designed to improve safety at the entry and exit points of Welcome Bay Lane.

Compulsory stop signs would be installed as well as a traffic island to slow down vehicles and limit the size of vehicles able to access the lane, McCarthy said.

Other safety improvements would include new signage and road markings and a "speed cushion" on Welcome Bay Lane, he said.

Welcome Bay Lane was closed in September after a cycle safety review,, which confirmed the road needed to be closed for safety.

For that reason, Welcome Bay Lane will be re-opened to cars, but all heavy vehicles – including buses – will need to use the signalised intersection on Welcome Bay Rd.

Construction will start next Monday and the road is expected to re-open in November.