Totara St residents to petition Whanganui council for roundabout

Sandra Watson is petitioning the council for a roundabout to be put in at the Totara St/Fitzherbert Ave intersection. Photo/Bevan Conley

Two Whanganui residents who have had one too many cars through their front fences are campaigning for a roundabout to be installed on the Totara St/Fitzherbert Ave corner.

Sandra Watson has had her fence hit four times in the past year and 10 times since she has lived there.

After the most recent accident last month, the Whanganui District Council has been investigating short-term solutions such as early warning signs approaching the bend.

Creating a T-intersection and a stop sign between the two roads has also been mooted as part of a longer-term extension of Fitzherbert Ave through to Mosston Rd.

But neither satisfy Ms Watson who, along with neighbour Teresa Payton, is petitioning the Whanganui District Council to install a roundabout.

The pair placed the petition in the Chronicle on Wednesday asking for people to sign on in support.

"A roundabout will slow everyone down coming from all directions and yet keep the traffic flowing," the petition says.

Ms Watson believed the other solutions would create further problems.

"We thought about a stop sign and thought 'yeah, that could work', but you're also going to open up Fitzherbert Ave as part of a racing track.

"Then you've got the issue of people from Totara St trying to get into Fitzherbert Ave."

Ms Watson said there was already a nearby example of how a roundabout could work.

"At the other end of Totara St there's a roundabout and that slows everybody down."

The pair are collecting signatures until February 28.

"Hopefully we'll get a good response."