Road test for signals

Press, 8 October 1987, Page 5

Road test for signals

New traffic signals will be used at Christchurch intersections to test drivers’ responses. The signals are amber arrows and will be used in association with green arrow displays. The Christchurch City Council’s works and traffic committee gave its approval to the experiment yesterday for streets including Bealey Avenue. The council has taken other traffic measures in the last year to improve the safety record of the avenue.

The city’s traffic engineer, Mr Mike Gadd, said that the only cost would be in staff time to observe drivers’ responses. The

signals would be installed using money in the department’s budget The Ministry of Transport approved of the experiment Mr Gadd said.

The new signals would include left turn filters and diamond turn, lead turn, and leg turn displays. Amber arrows would be used, with green arrows, to indicate turning functions were ceasing.

The intersections include four in Bealey Avenue, one in Colombo Street one in Aidwins Road, one in Brougham Street one in Fitzgerald Avenue, one in Barbadoes Street and one in Barrington Street.

Railways

Two of the level crossings on the main north line will be improved in the next two years, Railways has told the Christchurch City Council. When the Styx-Sockbum deviation was abandoned, the council sought — and received — assurances from the Railways Corporation that crossings would be improved. Cr Ron Wright suggested that the council’s works and traffic committee keep pressuring Railways to hurry the work along. Six crossings were listed for improvement Cr David Close felt that two in two years with the planning for a third in

1989-90 was “not bed going.” Sub-division An on-site meeting at a council sub-division off Westminster Street will be organised to discuss possible flooding problems in the area.

Cr Wright said the residents believed there was a problem and the council should look very carefully at the landfill planned for the subdivision. The council had undertaken the sub-division because the cost of filling made it unattractive to private contractors. Councillors should inspect the area before discussing the matter, suggested Cr Rex Arbuckle.