In a joint meeting, the Waikura Linwood-Central-Healthcote and the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere community boards approved changes to improve pedestrian safety at Tennyson St, near the intersection with Norwood St.
The improvements include no stopping lines, increasing space in the centre of the traffic island, incorporating vertical traffic calming and red coloured surfacing, and incorporating an island on the south side of Tennyson St to increase visibility and reduce the crossing distance.
However, residents who wanted a zebra crossing will not get it.
Abley engineers assessed the area and found the site did not meet the criteria for a zebra crossing due to the recorded speed being just over 50km/h (52.9km/h).
The conclusion was based on Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's pedestrian network guidance, a process for determining appropriate mid-block crossing types.
Senior transportation engineer Gemma Dioni noted children assumed they had the right of way on a zebra crossing and stepped onto it without checking first.
If the crossing was implemented, it could lead to “a collision between the pedestrian and a vehicle with serious consequence”.
The danger posed by crossing the road had been a concern among the local community for many years.
“It has taken far too long to get to this point,” primary school Beckenham Te Kura o Puroto chair Matthew McDonald said.
He said it was a “minor miracle” no one has died on the crossing.
A former student at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto said she used to cross the street with her young sister every day.
Now, as she is leaving for high school, she worries about the safety of her sister.
“It’s really unsafe. It’s our least favourite part of the day,” she said.
“I just feel very unsafe leaving her to cross by herself now.”
The two community boards also requested city council staff monitor the impacts of the safety improvements, seek community feedback, and report the results 12 months after implementation.
Heathcote Ward councillor Sara Templeton was pleased the improvements would be completed before the start of the next school year.
