The on-ramp continues to draw criticism from The Star readers who say trying to get across to the on-ramp is difficult and at times dangerous.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says the on-ramp was added to the design after a request by the Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board, and industry in the area.
But the community board chairman Mike Mora agrees with other motorists the on-ramp design is putting motorists at risk.
“You’ve got to change lanes two or three times sometimes to navigate it, and it just seems a bit over-complicated. Every move can have an adverse effect or put people at risk,” he told The Star.
Motorists coming from the Prebbleton direction have less than 200m to cross to the on-ramp lane to get to Christchurch via the Southern Motorway after coming off the Halswell Junction Rd roundabout.
They have to navigate their way across with left turning vehicles from the Sockburn side of Springs Rd, and traffic coming through the roundabout from Hornby.
Mora said he will be seeking a meeting with NZTA to discuss his concerns.
NZTA has previously told The Star there is an “issue” with the on-ramp but stopped short of saying it was dangerous.
“While it would obviously be different if we had a blank sheet and could separate the motorway and roundabout with more distance, we have to work with what we have and produce the best design given the constraints of the site and the need to make the new motorway accessible for the nearby industrial area, commuters from Prebbleton and the surrounding area.”
The on-ramp was requested by the community board about two months before the $195 million stage 2 of the Southern Motorway project began in 2016.
Mora said the community board wanted an on-ramp so heavy vehicles coming from industry in the Sockburn and Hornby area could access the motorway to destinations such as Lyttelton.
“We wanted a maximum number of people using the motorway so that they didn’t put undue burden on the more-residential streets.”
But what had been designed was an on-ramp and roundabout which was difficult to navigate, he said.
NZTA did not answer a question from The Star what the plan had been in the original design for access north to Christchurch from Halswell Junction Rd to the motorway.
Mora also said he was puzzled by NZTA advice that motorists who were concerned about safety when turning left from Springs Rd into the Halswell Junction Rd roundabout should only do so when both lanes were clear of traffic.
“That would hold up traffic forever. That’s not what roundabouts are for,” he said.
NZTA also did not answer questions put by The Star about why motorists are being told to wait for both lanes to be clear of traffic, if signage will be installed to tell drivers to wait for both lanes to clear.
