Methuen Road & Bollard Avenue, New Windsor - Intersection improvement Methuen Road & Bollard Avenue, New Windsor - Intersection improvement

Proposal status: updated 12 September 2018

Reference number: MIP1718-060

We're proposing changes in your area

​We are proposing to install a roundabout, pram crossings, kerb buildouts and two pedestrian refuge islands at the intersection of Methuen Road and Bollard Avenue, New Windsor. 

Download the proposal drawing for Methuen Road and Bollard Avenue (PDF 1.7MB)

Why the changes are needed

These changes would improve the safety of people driving and pedestrians on these streets. There have been a number of crashes at this intersection mainly due to vehicles failing to stop at the existing speed control. By installing a roundabout, vehicles will be encouraged to calm their speed on the approach. The pedestrian refuge islands and the kerb buildouts will provide safer crossing points for pedestrians.

Proposal outcome

This project will proceed without changes to the next stage of detailed planning. A summary of the community feedback we received and answers to questions and concerns is below.

Feedback received

Project necessity

  • Query regarding the need for these changes. This proposal aims to create a safer environment and travel system for all users of these roads including pedestrians. There have been a number of crashes at this location in the past few years. The police reports we have of the crashes describe that majority of the drivers who were involved did not notice the intersection ahead. As result, they failed to slow down and give way. The most effective way to slow down vehicles on both approaches is to install a physical deterrent such as a roundabout. In addition to slowing down vehicles and making the intersection more conspicuous to drivers, the proposal also improves pedestrian safety at the intersection by providing safe crossing points.

Driver awareness

  • Concern that drivers who currently ignore the Stop signs are unlikely to adhere to Give way signs. The roundabout is a physical deterrent which forces vehicles to travel at slower speeds. Drivers will have to slow down or stop at the approach before entering the roundabout.
  • Concern that a roundabout and refuge islands creates a mentality and environment of a major intersection and not a residential street There are similar roundabouts on other residential streets in various parts of Auckland. The roundabout slows down vehicles on all four approaches and is the best and safest option for this location.
  • Suggestion to install stop signs We generally do not install Stop controls at roundabouts.
  • Request for additional signage to warn and make drivers aware of the upcoming intersection/roundabout and to slow down. Appropriate signs will be installed on all four approaches to alert drivers.
  • Suggestion to have more lighting. A lighting review will be done prior to construction and additional street lights will be installed if needed.
  • Suggestion that we install flashing lights of some sort to alert drivers on their approach to roundabout. We generally do not install flashing lights on approaches to roundabouts. The signs, road markings and lighting should be adequate to make the roundabout conspicuous and alert the drivers.

Parking

  • Concern that proposed parking restrictions will take away too much parking available to residents. The number of removed on-street parking spaces has been kept to a minimum in our plan. The proposed parking restrictions are essential to provide visibility between pedestrians and approaching drivers. The removal of parking round the corners of the roundabout improves visibility and accessibility. The on-street parking in the area should be adequate to accommodate resident and visitor parking.
  • Query if Bollard Avenue parking will be changed as part of the plan. Parking restrictions will be installed on Bollard Avenue extending approximately 35 metres from the intersection as shown on the consultation plan.
  • Concern that by widening the berm out side of 43 Methuen Rd opposing traffic will be pushed together and therefore become hazardous & suggestion to add a narrow centre island strip instead as to keep opposing traffic apart but still reducing speeds by narrowing the road. The reasons for building out the kerbs outside the 43 Methuen Road are to reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians across Methuen Road and to slow down vehicles turning left from Bollard Avenue to Methuen Road by making the turning angle tighter and narrowing the lane width. Vehicle tracking shows that opposing vehicles can safely pass each other without having to encroach onto the wrong side of the road. In the rare event where two large vehicles meet at the narrowed section of road, we expect one to give way to the other.
  • Suggestion for additional broken yellow lines on the right hand side of Bollard Avenue (when travelling up Bollard Avenue towards New Windsor Road) as parked cars close to Waitati Place block the line of vision up Bollard Avenue. Waitati Place is not within the scope for this project. However, we will investigate if parking restrictions are required at the Waitati Place. Bollard Avenue intersection as a separate project.
  • Concern that broken yellow lines are too long:
    • Suggestion to removing proposed broken yellow lines outside 42-44 Methuen Road.
    • Suggestion to retain 1-2 cars length on each proposed length.
    The proposed parking restrictions outside 42 and 44 Methuen Road are essential to provide the required visibility between approaching vehicles and pedestrians waiting to cross the road. This is the same reason for the proposed parking restrictions on all four approaches. Therefore, we will not be making any changes to the proposed parking restrictions.
  • Request that we extend broken yellow lines:
    • on sides of Methuen Road and Bollard Avenue.
    • to improve the visibility on approach.
    • on Methuen Road extending down from Bollard Avenue down to and beyond the brow of the hill outside numbers 59 and beyond.
    We understand that on-street parking is a great asset for residents in the area, and therefore, it is important that we keep the loss of parking to a minimum. The proposed length of parking restrictions are adequate to provide safe sight distances for pedestrians crossing the road and approaching vehicles.
  • Concern that parked vehicles will still block visibility & cause access issues for surrounding properties. It is illegal to park within 1 metre from a driveway or across a driveway. If a car is parked illegally please call our call centre on (09) 355 3553 anytime with the vehicle details, and enforcement will be organised.
  • Suggestion that before full proposal in put in place to trial lengths of broken yellow lines along all roads around the intersection to improve visibility as to see if this alone can create a safer driving environment. The main reason for the crashes at this location is vehicles failing to slow down and give way. The roundabout acts as a physical deterrent, which slows down cars. It also makes the intersection more conspicuous. Installing only the parking restrictions would not solve the ongoing safety issues.

Project design

  • Request for the centre of the roundabout be raised as to discourage speeding/driving over it. The centre of the roundabout is raised as per the design standards for roundabouts. The 1.90 metre wide outer perimeter of the central island further increases the deflection for vehicles such as cars and motorcycles while allowing the required manoeuvring space for larger vehicles such as buses and trucks.
  • Request for refuge islands to be placed on Methuen Road as well as there is a high pedestrian demand due to bus stops and shops. It will also act as a potential speed calming measure. Methuen Road is not wide enough to accommodate kerb buildouts and a central refuge island, larger vehicles would have to drive over the central island creating an unsafe environment for pedestrians. Methuen Road is not as busy as Bollard Avenue, hence, pedestrians will have adequate gaps between traffic to safely cross the road in one stage. This is helped by the installation of the kerb buildouts on Methuen Road
  • Suggestion to narrow the entries into the intersection with refuge islands instead of the proposed roundabout. Installing pedestrian refuge islands on Methuen Road was considered, however, the Walking & Cycling team preferred the kerb buildouts option. The reason being that kerb buildouts reduce the total crossing distance for pedestrians more than pedestrian refuge islands do. Given the relatively low traffic volumes on Methuen Road, pedestrians can find a safe gap between traffic and cross the road in one stage.
  • Concern over vehicles which have been performing burnouts etc. on these roads. The roundabout will not provide space for vehicles to perform burnouts.

Traffic

  • Concern about current vehicles speeding along these roads, particularly vehicles driving along Bollard Avenue & Requests that we install speedbumps on Methuen and Bollard. The aim of this project is to make improvements to the Methuen Road – Bollard Avenue intersection. The proposed changes will slow down vehicles on both roads. Speed calming along the other sections of Bollard Avenue and Methuen Road will be investigated as a separate project.
  • Concern that vehicles approaching the roundabout downhill on Bollard Avenue will come through at a high speed, thus creating a crash risk if Methuen Road traffic doesn’t fully stop. The roundabout and kerb buildouts create a deflection which will slow down vehicles on Bollard Avenue. There is adequate visibility for drivers at the Methuen Road approach to see any oncoming vehicles on Bollard Avenue. The drivers are expected to follow the road rules at the roundabout.
  • Concern whether these changes will work due to poor visibility for drivers approaching Stop signs, specifically from the right, as parked cars on Bollard Avenue block visibility. The proposal will prevent vehicles from parking close to the roundabout, providing sufficient visibility for drivers. With the installation of the roundabout, the drivers entering the roundabout will primarily be observing vehicles coming from the right, compared to current situation where drivers need to look for oncoming traffic from all three directions prior to crossing the intersection from Methuen Road.

Cycling

  • Concern as to how the roundabout will work for cyclists & concern that cyclists approaching the berm could be squeezed into a lane with a car. The lane widths at the approaches to the roundabout are narrowed to encourage cyclists to use the whole lane when entering the roundabout. The vehicles are expected to follow the cyclist. Signs and road markings will be installed to alert cyclists of the narrowing of lane widths to avoid creating sudden pinch points. The proposed roundabout will encourage slower speeds. Cyclists who are less confident can dismount and cross the road. The kerb buildouts are needed to narrow the lane widths to slow down traffic and reduce pedestrian crossing distances.
  • Query if and how cyclist safety and has been taken into account. The Walking & Cycling Specialists were involved with the design and they supported the kerb buildouts option. Bike Auckland have also been consulted with and support the proposal.

Crash history

  • Query regarding the crash history statistics of this intersection. The NZTA Crash Analysis System data indicated that there have been eight reported crashes within a 100 metre radius of the Methuen Road / Bollard Avenue intersection. The crash data was retrieved for a five year period between 2013 and 2018. Six of these crashes happened as a result of approaching vehicles failing to stop at the existing stop controls on the two Methuen Road legs. The other two crashes involved parked cars.
  • Request that these changes happen ASAP due to high crash and accident rate here. Once consultation is completed, we get consultants on board to produce the detail designs. The detailed plans are then handed over to the contractors for construction. The project is in line for construction in the 2019/2020 financial year. The contractor will notify the residents in the area prior to construction.

Miscellaneous

  • Concern that the roundabout is too expensive. There is a budget allocated to fund projects which addresses safety issues all over Auckland. This project was ranked and was prioritised over others.
  • Suggestion to use enforcement and issue fines to drivers in area who don’t obey existing Stop signs instead of installing changes. It is not possible to have our officers on site at all times to enforce the stop controls.

Next steps

This work is set for construction on or before June 2020 but we will let you know if there are further changes or delays.

Our contractors will send notices to affected residents 48-hours prior to construction starting.