Roadworks will fix High St / Tudor St intersection problem

March 31st, 2010
From TDC press release

A major Motueka congestion and safety issue - the T-intersection of Tudor Street with High Street - is being rectified over the next couple of weeks as a major strengthening of the road through the town takes shape. The safety issue of this intersection was highlighted in a Motueka Online forum item which you can read here.

"The patience of Motueka's drivers will be rewarded as the intersection of Tudor and High streets is widened to enable those wanting to turn off High Street into Tudor to do so safely and without impeding the traffic flow on the main thoroughfare", said Gary Clark, Tasman District Council Transportation Manager.

Having long been a point of frustration for those held up, either on High or Tudor Street, the work will also make it safer to turn into High Street.

"The changes involve rolling back the current pavement island to provide the space for another lane. While reinstatement of the road will be the bulk of the work, a number of trees and street features will have to be removed to provide space and visibility" said Mr Clark.

Funded and managed by the New Zealand Transport Authority, the work around the intersection is the initial stage of a wider project that will lead to smoother traffic flow and a town centre that is a great deal safer for motorists and pedestrians alike.

Comment by John of Motueka:
[Posted 27 April 2010]

It is unfortunate that some of the very small number of trees which dot Motueka's main road will be destroyed (and apparently not replaced) by this attempt to improve and increase traffic flow. Remember when General Motors and Ford lobbied Los Angeles to get rid of the trolley cars so that everyone could drive their own cars - and look what happened to LA; now, LA is spending billions to develop a mass transit system.

Now, I know Motueka is no LA, but it often seems like the simple solution is the best, whereas, sometimes, the best solution is one which takes a little longer, requires a bit more ingenuity, and costs a bit more. In many cases, the winner has a concrete or asphalt ingredient involved.

Motueka's main street is not exactly the prettiest road in NZ and removing the trees certainly won't help improve its looks any. On the contrary, if Motueka wanted to look better (and attract more tourists, as well, perhaps), it could be well served by the planting of more trees - many, many more trees (and shrubs, and grass).

Far better to lobby the governments to put in the by-pass and new bridge which would dramatically reduce the volume of traffic going through town. Wouldn't it be nice if Motueka had a nicer, more 'human' feel to it, like Takaka does? Oh well, such is 'progress'.

Where are some more trees which are getting in the way? Oh yes, I know....

Comment by William Cleaver:
[Posted 29 April 2010]

It appears to me that the traffic problem up the Main St of Motueka has little to do with the cars. What you say, what lunatic would come up with that assumption. Well if you removed the pedestrian crossings the traffic would flow at a steady pace except for courteous drivers letting other drivers in and out of car parks wouldn't it.

So the problem is the pedestrian crossings. No it's not, it's the people using them. I have been stuck on a crossing waiting for a person or persons to get off the crossing and to find the moment their foot hits the foot path somebody else walks on to the crossing and the whole process steps into motion again. This went on for at least 5 minutes one day and in the end I thought bugger it and drove off anyway leaving a pedestrian flapping his arms and shouting abuse about how inconsiderate I was. Go figure.

Christchurch had the same issue on Papanui Rd Merivale, so they installed lights for the pedestrians. This has worked to a degree but when you are dealing with over 100,000 cars a day on the same stretch of road there will always be a problem. So you see it's not the cars, it's the people.

Comment by Duncan Eddy:
[Posted 5 May 2010, first published as a letter to the editor in the Motueka & Golden Bay News]

The traffic on Motueka's High St, particularly during the warmer months, can be a nightmare. No one denies that the congestion can be frustrating, and everyone knows that it's dangerous to bike down the main street. Where the disagreement lies is on best to sort the problem out. Various options have been mooted over the years, including removing the carparks to make the road wider; constructing a Motueka Bypass; reducing the speed limit in the Motueka CBD; or installing traffic lights or more pedestrian crossings.

The question which needs to be asked is: should the centre of the town, which currently has a State Highway running through it, be a place where people get the priority, or a place where traffic gets the priority? With the removal of traffic islands on High St and the widening of the Tudor St/ High St intersection, it appears that traffic flow is winning out.

Demand Management and the promotion of active transport deserve greater emphasis in deliberations over the future of High St. Rather than just attempting to cater for ongoing increases in heavy traffic, more work needs to go into reducing the traffic on our roads by promoting and supporting other forms of transport, from walking and cycling, to subsidised buses and shuttle services. It's all about taking a balanced approach which meaningfully acknowledges social, health, and environmental factors within transport planning.

Editor's note:
[Posted 5 May 2010]
This news article links with another published at the end of April, which can be viewed here »

Comment by David Ogilvie, Community Board Chairman, presented in his report to the Board for its May meeting:
[Posted 6 May 2010]

The Council is intending to remove the bulbous kerbs, bollards, trees, seats and pathing on the western side of High Street at this intersection, apparently to improve traffic flow (speed) through the central shopping area.

I have strongly opposed this, with emails to Gary Clark and Steve Elkington (at TDC) and Michael Kargar (NZTA). This streetscaping evolved after years of discussion with local community groups, Council managers and considerable Council (ratepayer) funding. To now demolish this, at the entry to the main shopping area, seems very wrong.

High Street (from Woodlands Avenue to Fearon Street) is approximately 1 km and if through traffic is delayed while travelling through our retail, office and business area, then that is a small price to pay for having a State Highway conflicting with the main shopping / business street in Motueka.

I can not find any resolution by Council (or the Engineering Services Committee) authorising this rampant destruction, yet it appears the Motueka Councillors have supported it. Interestingly, NZTA has not authorised it either. It is not being done as a result of any NZTA initiative.

The Council finds it difficult to provide funds for footpaths, cycleways and mobile-scooter ramps, but is prepared to fund this. Another victory for vehicles over people!

I only hope that the Council managers will reverse their programme and look at Woodlands Avenue – Whakarewa Street and the Clock Tower intersections with High Street where roundabouts would provide safer driving options.

Comment by Chris Salt, Riwaka:
[Posted 7 May 2010]

I have only just found out about the Tudor intersection widening. It will be a tragedy if the trees are brought down for this work.

The fact is that it is possible under existing conditions to get past a vehicle waiting to turn onto Tudor Street, providing drivers pull close to the centre line. Many don't. The problem is there is no lane marking. With some modest adjustments and lane marking it would be possible to sort out the bottleneck without destroying beautiful trees.

It seems transport authority is wedded to a road design ethos which takes no account of local conditions, other possibilities, aesthetics and community interests. This religious adherence to centralised decision making divorced from local communities is a travesty in this and other areas.

Comment by William Cleaver and the Grumpy Old Men at Resurgence, Riwaka:
[Posted 7 May 2010]

The question raised at today's meeting was High St Tudor St Intersection. Simply why turn right into High St off Tudor in the first place? For what reason would you want to go that way anyway? If it's to head north, your best interest would be to get to Fearon St via the back streets. If wanting to get to Greenwood St and possibly Fresh Choice go the back streets. If you're wanting to shop in the Main Street shops, go down Wilkinson St and park in the carpark at the rear of the shops. Wanting to get to the west of the town, turn left and go Wakawera St.

So really why would you want to turn right in the first place? Keep the trees and make right turning illegal like just up the road at Wallace St. Well it makes sence to us old buggers.

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