That was the reaction from West Melton District Residents Association chair Tim Schurr to the completion of the new traffic lights at the township’s major intersection.
“It was such a barrier having the state highway through our town – it has reconnected West Melton,” Schurr said.
“It’s a major win for road safety.”
The association delivered 2333 signatures on the petition to Parliament in 2020.
“There was a lot of work in those early days to raise its profile,” Schurr said.
The upgrades also improve pedestrian safety in the area, with West Melton School pupils now able to cross the intersection safely. Schurr has already noticed how much safer it is since the lights were first switched on last month.
“What we are seeing is more kids walking, cycling or scootering to school now because it is much safer for them,” he said.
Schurr was hoping to see a drop in the number of crashes with the addition of the traffic lights.
He joined Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency regional relationships director James Caygill, Mayor Sam Broughton and representatives from the community, district council, and Fulton Hogan to celebrate the project’s completion.
The ceremony included a performance from the West Melton School kapa haka group.
The upgrade project also blocked off West Melton Rd at the intersection with SH73, created a new road connecting West Melton and Weedons Ross Rds and widened the cycleway along West Melton Rd.
Landscaping for the project will be completed over winter.
•Fight to stop intersection closing, page 8
