Affected residents find fault with Waka Kotahi’s $30m SH1 safety upgrade plan

Ants Paisley feels he’s being penalised “because someone else can’t drive a car properly” as Waka Kotahi’s proposed State Highway 1 safety upgrade could add 6km to a trip to Timaru.

Paisley was too busy working to attend Waka Kotahi’s Thursday drop-in session in Pareora to discuss the plans for $30m project across the 12km crash-plagued section from Timaru to St Andrews, but he’s not happy at the possibility of having longer northbound trips from his property.

The truck driver has lived for about 15 years near the highway’s intersection with Beaconsfield Rd, right where Waka Kotahi’s upgrades are planned to begin, with a roundabout to be installed in conjunction with a median barrier southwards.

“Because of this, if I need to get to town I will have to go all the way to Normanby, turn around and come back. I will have to travel 3km south, and then 3km back, before I go anywhere,” Paisley said.

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“It is a huge inconvenience … the biggest thing is that I’m thinking that it’s not really going to make difference on the road … it’s pretty frustrating.

“I’m being penalised because someone else can’t drive a car properly.”

Normanby resident Paul Fisher, another regular highway user, was aghast the plans.

“It is absolutely crazy … I can’t see how it is all going to work,” Fisher said, adding the crashes are generally the result of fatigue with the “majority down at Pareora”.

He also maintained there was no need for the median barrier and was worried about how emergency vehicle response times would be affected.

“With that barrier, how do emergency vehicles get through … it doesn’t take long for one lane to clog up. If it was a double-lane highway I could understand.

“A huge amount of agricultural vehicles on that road is also a common occurrence. I got stuck behind a tractor for about 2km at Normanby the other day, and by the time it got off the road there were 30 to 40 vehicles behind it.”

Fisher said farmers were part of a “huge turnout” at Thursday’s drop-in session, along with representatives from fire brigades, truck drivers and the public represented.

“There were about six Waka Kotahi people there, and I felt they listened to everything, but not really.

“The response was mixed, and they appeared to have a lack of knowledge and understanding about what they were being asked and told.”

Fisher said one farmer explained he had an extra 6km detour under the proposals which put his vehicles on the highway every single day, “which was just crazy”.

“The discussions were very, very mixed … there were a lot of emotions there.”

Fisher said some of the proposals were absolutely ludicrous and bizarre.

He said most people were surprised at the short consultation period and many, like him, believe Waka Kotahi was saying “it’s a done deal”.

“It was meant to be three months, but they are saying the end of May and there are no more consultation meetings planned.

“I don’t know any way forward except keep sending them emails.

“We can’t let them do this.”

Paisley, who had lived in his property for more than 15 years, said he understood some of the dangers associated with the highway but was adamant it is the motorists and not the road that was at fault.

“People come down that road going way too fast … it’s not the road.

“I’m all for people being safe on the road but here it is education that is the biggest thing.”

Paisley doesn’t hold much hope of submissions changing Waka Kotahi’s mind.

“I know when they’ve got something in their minds they stick with it.

“I wish they would spend the money on education, not stupid barriers.”

A Waka Kotahi spokesperson said the benefit of public input and local knowledge was not underestimated, and thanked all “who took the time out of their day to attend and let us know their concerns, which are needed for the future designs and plans to be practical and workable for residents and daily road users”.

“Concerns included the longer time it would take to travel because of the median barriers, possible congestion caused by the new safe turning facilities and the overall cost of the project. Some people said the money could be spent better elsewhere,” the spokesperson said.

“We also heard from people who strongly supported the two proposed roundabouts at Beaconsfield and Pooke roads and could see the value of and need for the safety upgrades for themselves and their families/ community.”

“Once we’ve gathered and assessed everyone’s feedback, we’ll look at whether refinements are needed before the next stage, and keep the community informed.”

The spokesperson said if people could not make the May 28 deadline for submissions, then they could email letting them know when it will arrive by.

“We appreciate the feedback period is slightly shorter than some other engagement periods.”

The highway re-design

• Two new roundabouts suitable for heavy vehicles at Beaconsfield and Pooke roads
• Installation of median barrier for most of the corridor, with breaks where appropriate
• Installation of side barrier along parts of the road to prevent run off-road crashes
• New safe turning facilities, including two turnaround bays – one for northbound traffic north of Craigie Rd and one for southbound traffic south of Bristol Rd
• New U-turn facilities on Normanby Rd and on Galletlys Rd for both directions of traffic
• Construction of right-turn bays at Pareora River Rd, Galletlys Rd and Lyall Rd intersections
• Intersection speed zones at Normanby Rd and at Pareora River Rd