Difficult to please everyone with Ashhurst bypass options

Monday, 28 August 2017

A slip came down on State Highway 3, at the Woodville end of the Manawatu Gorge, in April.

Speed cameras have sprung up in a town battling to cope with increased traffic because of the Manawatu Gorge closure, and rattled residents want a better bypass.

The road through the Manawatu Gorge has been closed since April and the Saddle Rd – the main alternative – has taken a hammering from the increased traffic heading over it between Manawatu and Hawke's Bay. More traffic has also been flowing through Ashhurst, a normally-quiet village on the western side of the gorge.

Novena Jorgensen worries about her son, Tarrell Jorgensen, 10, cycling in Salisbury St, Ashhurst, when there is increased traffic flow.

Traffic counts provided by the Tararua District Council show about 4520 vehicles used the Saddle Rd in a seven-day period ending August 7.

The Saddle Rd diversion takes heavy trucks and cars along Salisbury St, which runs parallel to Ashhurst's town centre.

* Public meetings debate Manawatu Gorge closure

* Businesses lobby transport minister for urgent Manawatu Gorge fix

* Manawatu Gorge repairs stop with contractors pulled due to safety concerns**

Residents are lobbying to move the extra traffic out of town and in July, officials from the New Zealand Transport Agency said they were looking for ways to bypass it.

One option that was looked at was to take traffic along Mulgrave St, past Durham St, over a paper road to join up to River Rd.

However, officials realised that option was only a partial bypass of Ashhurst and, therefore, not ideal.

Ashhurst resident Novena Jorgensen, who lives on Salisbury St, said the partial bypass was no good and residents down River Rd were opposed to having more traffic come their way.

'People are there who have shifted there to live the quiet life.'

Jorgensen felt the bypass would be best if it went around the outside of Ashhurst and was near the gorge.

But she was not getting her hopes up that she would see action any time soon.

'You don't want to think 'they are going to do this' and then 'oh no, they are not'.'

The transport agency also announced speed cameras for Ashhurst, with police approving a speed camera van in Cambridge Ave and Lincoln St.

Jorgensen said one would also be welcome in Salisbury St, which traffic raced down.

'We just have a bit of a joke about it, how we live on a state highway now.'

Meanwhile, repair work to the Saddle Rd is taking longer than expected because of this winter's bad weather.

Work started on July 15 and was expected to take only three weeks, but the transport agency estimates it still has another six days of heavy maintenance to go. Completion of that work depends on a stretch of fine weather.

The Saddle Rd has been closed to westbound traffic, from Hawke's Bay to Manawatu, between 9am and 3pm on most days.

When the road is closed, motorists have to take the Pahiatua Track, adding on more kilometres to their trips. Some drivers have, however, decided they would rather queue from 2.30pm and wait for the Saddle Rd to reopen.

Transport agency officials say staff are working extra hours to get the work done.