Beca Consultants is the contract winner for the NZ Transport Agency project that is aiming to improve the Maunganui Road and Girven Road intersection.
The existing roundabout on State Highway 2 is one of the busiest intersections in Tauranga and it frequently causes significant delays to road users.
Bayfair roundabout.
Traffic volumes have steadily increased over the last 10 years to more than 35,000 vehicles per day including about 2200 heavy commercial vehicles.
NZTA state highway manager Rod James says the project aims to ease congestion and improve safety for all road users there.
'The project includes surveying and modelling current and predicted volumes of traffic, consulting with road users and residents, undertaking geotechnical testing, examining crash data records, and assessing the potential social and environmental impacts of any upgrade,” says Rod.
'It will also consider all previously-identified options, including a signalised roundabout and a two or four lane fly-over, and identify the preferred option.
'An important part of the project involves developing a design for the preferred option to the point where a reliable construction cost can be determined.”
Advanced works are expected to begin immediately with the preferred option expected to be selected in late 2011.
11 comments
Here's an idea
Posted on 08-12-2010 17:17 | By tibs
Go for a four lane flyover. Why don't the road designers try not to design things so that heavily laden trucks have to stop all the time. Look at the Papamoa roundabout, where they have to grunt up the hill over the railway lines. The most commonly repaired piece of road surface is between the roundabout and the railway bridge. Keep them moving at Bayfair with a flyover. Please.
Bayfair - be fair
Posted on 08-12-2010 18:04 | By jackb
Entirely agree it needs a flyover, not the usual short-sighted, 19th century 'solution' from the TA. And where does this fit into the new motorway plan?
LEAVE IT ALONE
Posted on 08-12-2010 19:02 | By Capt_Kaveman
there is nothing wrong with the roundabout, if drivers stopped racing around the thing and slowed down a bit it works fine the last thing we want is Tauranga crap traffic lights just look at the new ones that have failed at Mitre 10 stuck on the red and not change
Leave it alone -crazy
Posted on 08-12-2010 20:33 | By wreck1080
It certainly should not be left alone. The roundabout is a menace, the number of trucks cutting off cars is unbelievable.
READ MY LIPS
Posted on 08-12-2010 20:57 | By ROCKY
Why is NZTA wasting $1.2million on consultants for what when THE ONLY medium term solution is traffic lights .Stop wasting taxpayers money and just get on with it.Flyovers indeed to where exactly do they envisage?
Early Christmas
Posted on 09-12-2010 07:45 | By philiphallen
BECA as usual!!! and other consultants laughing all the way to the bank with our money AGAIN. Its about time council reduced spending.
Needs to be done.
Posted on 09-12-2010 08:45 | By Chaudog
Traffic lights are a waste of time, especially considering the increased thoroughfare that will occur when the Eastern Arterial opens. A flyover does seem like the appropriate solution at this time however best leave that decision to Beca. They are the experts. The roundabout is a NZTA managed section of road. Reducing council spending means nothing to them. If people have concerns over how much is spent on this project, they should contact their MP rather than complaining to the council.
Congestion
Posted on 09-12-2010 13:31 | By maggiebop
Surely part of the problem with this roundabout is traffic in wrong lanes and the rail crossing.
WHICH CENTURY?
Posted on 10-12-2010 08:48 | By Ratcatcher
Chaudog: so traffic lights won't work why not ? they work well at 15thAve at 11thAve they work at ELizabeth St and sort of work at Maungatapu& will cost less than consultants reports.Eastern Arterial will be 5years if ever done. .Flyover from where to where exactly ~ will cost taxpayers $30million to achieve what+railwayline problem still remains
Posted on 10-12-2010 10:13 | By Chaudog
Ratcatcher: How will traffic lights work with a rail crossing? None of your examples have a rail crossing. For the record, I do think that $1.2million just to investigate possible options is a bit high but if you just go ahead and commit to a solution without any sort of research or investigation, you are asking for trouble. I just don't think the solution to improve the intersection is as simple as adding traffic lights. NZTA are better off to consult with "experts" and reduce the risk of completly messing it up.
Leave it alone -crazy
Posted on 10-12-2010 22:34 | By Capt_Kaveman
Posted on 08-12-2010 20:33 | By wreck1080 It certainly should not be left alone. The roundabout is a menace, the number of trucks cutting off cars is unbelievable. --------------------------------------remarks about trucks have you tried to drive one in this city? i guess not,by the sound of this drivers like you need to slow down, the slower cars move on around abouts the more traffic it can process as drivers feel safer to enter, should be a law that the speed limit them to 20kph
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