Safety still a worry despite $90m Brougham St highway upgrade
Tuesday, 23 November 2021
Safety concerns remain despite the release of plans for a major $90 million upgrade of a busy Christchurch throughfare that include a pedestrian overbridge, road closures, and carpooling lanes.
A detailed proposal for upgrading Brougham St, State Highway 76, was put out by Waka Kotahi New ZZ Transport Agency (NZTA) on Tuesday.
The route is used each day by an average of 45,000 vehicles, including 4500 freight vehicles and trucks, and is a crucial link for vehicles carrying freight to and from Lyttelton Port.
Construction is not expected to begin until 2023, with work likely to be completed in late 2025.
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In September last year, cyclist Russell Frankum was hit and killed by a van while crossing Brougham St near the site of the planned overbridge.
The bridge will connect Collins St and Simeon St, which under the plan would both become vehicle cul-de-sacs.
It will be near Addington School, where the community has previously lobbied for safety improvements.
Also in the proposal are peak-hour “T2” lanes – for buses, cars with at least one passenger, or motorcycles – on both sides of Brougham St.
Outside of peak times they would be available for parking.
The eastbound lane would run between Spencer St to just past Gasson St, and the westbound lane from Buchan St to just past Selwyn St.
Most of Brougham St currently has two lanes on each side, with some road-side parking.
Intersections would be upgraded, with more traffic signals, turn arrows, and bus priority lights.
A shared cycle-pedestrian path would be separated from the westbound lane with new trees, between Simeon St and Opawa Rd.
Speed limits will also be reviewed.
Addington School chairwoman Jo Robertson said the school community had mixed feelings on the plan, which many people considered “just tweaking around the edges of big problems”.
Robertson said the overbridge was positive but concerns around whether all intersections would be made safer remained.
“There’s a bit of feeling in the community that we are sort of being landed with the problem of poor urban and road planning, so whatever changes they'll make, it’s only making the best of a bad deal.”
Robertson thought better traffic flow could increase traffic, and bigger logging and transport trucks should move to rail.
People with disabilities and elderly people had also raised concerns, and many would want a say on the speed limit passing the school, she said.
“There needs to be ways to make sure everyone’s safe along that length.”
Don Babe, chairman of cycling advocacy group Spokes Canterbury, said while Brougham St was an important freight route, it was also a barrier cutting across the southern suburbs.
He said while the overbridge would be of benefit, all the crossings and intersections needed to be safe.
“For cyclists, Brougham St is more of an impediment for getting across it, than going along it. It’s a big impediment if you’re cycling to and from the central city.”
City councillor Sara Templeton, who represents the Heathcote ward, said while there were some good safety features, she was concerned at plans to add extra lanes.
“When it's got six lanes, all the evidence suggests that’s going to increase traffic.”
Templeton said the carpool/bus lanes were a positive step, but thought they should extend further east.
The shared cycle-pedestrian paths could create conflict and the route needed to encourage cycle use, she said.
Video of the proposed upgrade shows the new lanes would be where existing roadside parking is – making the road three-laned at peak times. NZTA said the road width would not change.
The Government initially put $40m of funding towards the upgrade in March. By June, the budget had grown to $90m.
A spokesperson for Lyttelton Port Company said they were reviewing the proposed changes, including how they would affect the flow of freight to the port’s sites in Lyttelton, Woolston and Rolleston.
The route was an important corridor for Canterbury and a vital link in the supply chain, the spokesperson said.
NZTA wants to hear public feedback on its proposal until January 28 next year. It plans to hold drop-in feedback sessions next month.