Concerns over planned roundabout

Owners of shops nearby a St Clair intersection targeted for an unusually shaped roundabout say they are yet to be convinced the plan will work.

They say while the roundabout may have benefits, there will be issues with parking, nearby bus stops will have to be moved and it may not be the best solution.

The Dunedin City Council  announced earlier this week it was seeking public feedback on a peanut-shaped roundabout at the intersection of Forbury, Bay View and Allandale Rds.

The shape was designed to deal with roads that approach the intersections at angles, and was developed because of 11 crashes there between 2011 and 2015, and more since.

Approached for comment,  Forbury Rd Four Square owner Sandra Millar  said bus stops on either side of the road just south of the intersection were already a problem.

Drivers were inclined to pass stopped buses by driving on the opposite side of the road, which was dangerous.

Moving them further from the intersection would help solve that,  aid visibility and provide more parking for the shops and other businesses on either side of the road.

Leckie’s Butchery owner Grant Millar said he was still considering the proposal, but was initially concerned about a pedestrian crossing outside the garage where he took deliveries.

He was unsure a roundabout was the best solution for the intersection. John Gourlay, of  Tatters Hair Design, said that he thought the design would cut down the number of crashes and near misses at the intersection, of which there were many.

But  he was concerned about pedestrians using the roundabout to cross the road instead of the raised pedestrian crossings planned for each entrance to the roundabout, Mr Gourlay said, and suggested rails so that could not happen.

Feedback for the proposal closes on July 14.