One lane will be closed for the remainder of the month while two new speed bumps and two raised crossings are installed, as well as footpath widening.
DCC Transport Engineering and Road Safety team leader Hjarne Poulsen said the council had received a number of requests for the improvements because of speeding cars, crashes and near misses.
‘‘The road is used by students walking to the four schools in City Rise and by commuters ... walking through the Town Belt to the city.
‘‘Our changes will mean crossing the road will be safer as we are providing two raised platforms at existing crossing points to ensure vehicles slow down.’’
He said the speed bumps would slow cars to less than 30kmh which would reduce the likelihood of a pedestrian being killed from 80% to 10% compared with a 50kmh impact.
The footpath extension on the southern side of the road would create a continuous footpath to Arthur St, he said.
The ‘‘traffic calming changes’’ to the road were part of DCC work to reduce death and serious injury on Dunedin roads.
‘‘We’ve found that physical changes to roads and footpaths that force drivers to slow down are some of the most effective solutions.
‘‘It may take time for drivers to get used to the lower speed environment but we hope these changes will help make Maori Rd safer for all road users.’’
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"The ‘‘traffic calming changes’’ to the road were part of DCC work to reduce death and serious injury on Dunedin roads".
Don't forget their commitment to take as many vehicles off of the roads as possible. The 'speed bumps' are just the thin end of the wedge.
Death and serious injury are the biggies. There has been no stated municipal plan to take vehicles off the roads.
Of course it isn't stated publicly but you can see it in the town.
Octagon closed to vehicles, main street being made into a one way, loss of car parks etc etc.
I've been asking for *years* for a pedestrian crossing across and speed bumps all the way down Serpentine Rd - measures that would really make a difference to the dozens of children who still have no safe way to cross Serpentine Rd from Mornington and Kenmure side to Maori Rd.
Instead, just a poorly thought-out fixation on Maori Rd - which nobody lives on and nobody has to risk their life to cross twice a day.
Just sad.
Sadly, the Muppets and Wombles in their Noddy cars can't control themselves, so we all pay to place controls upon them. Now we're left to negociate the 'traffic calming' measures on a daily basis. Thank you muppets, it's all about you.