News of Moturoa up-grade at last. Pity speed issue not addressed yet but it is a start.

Charles from Lynmouth - Moturoa

PROPOSED ROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT MOTUROA
In October 2017, several concept options to provide road safety improvements on state highway 44 (SH44) at the intersection of South Road and Lawry Street in Moturoa were presented to the public by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (the Transport Agency). The aim of these improvements was to:
 Improve road safety and maintain efficiency for all road users
 Make it easy for road users to see local road connections from SH44
 Help maintain Moturoa Shops as a great destination
After considering the feedback that we subsequently received from the public, a preferred option has been identified and further developed by the Transport Agency. Funding has also now been secured to progress the project to Construction, which is scheduled to commence in early 2020.
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with an update on the project as requested by you during the initial consultation, and to confirm the preferred options with you, which includes: a half roundabout at the intersection of St Aubyn Street (SH44), Lawry Street and South Road, as well as replacing the existing zebra crossing on SH44 with a signalised pedestrian crossing.
Please find enclosed a plan of the proposed improvements for your information.
Previous Consultation and Feedback
As part of the initial consultation process, the public had an opportunity to provide feedback to The Agency via:
 an online feedback form on the Transport Agency website,
 the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) Facebook page,
 a drop-in information session held at the Revival Hall in Moturoa (where representatives from the Transport Agency were on hand to discuss the improvement options and answer questions).
The project received a lot of support and useful feedback as part of this process, and the following is a summary of the feedback we received:
 The current intersection is confusing or unsafe
 There is concern about the volume of trucks, but recognition that SH44 should have priority
 There is a desire to minimise parking loss
 Pedestrian crossing improvements are needed on South Road and Lawry Street
 88% were in favour of changes to the Moturoa Shops area
 Most (54%) supported the half roundabout option for the intersection
 The half roundabout option rated favourably when compared with the other options presented (13% for a signalised intersection, 5% for accessibility improvements while maintaining the existing layout).
 15% supported a signalised pedestrian crossing
 13% opposed a signalised intersection.
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There was a lot of public support for reducing the posted speed limit in the area also. However, as you may be aware from reports in the media, the NZ Transport Agency is currently looking at safe and appropriate speeds on a national basis. As such, consultation regarding potential changes to the posted speed limit in the area would run separately to this project.
The above feedback helped us to select the preferred option, and to shape the detailed design. The plan overleaf illustrates the developed design, which includes the following key features:
 Removal of the left turn slip lane from SH44 onto Lawry Street
 Removal of three parallel parking spaces on the northern side of SH44 to provide better visibility of pedestrians at the proposed signalised crossing
 Better street lighting for improved visibility at night
 Footpath improvements and opportunities for new lansdscaping outside the Salty Dog pub
 Improved pedestrian crossings facilities on Lawry Street and South Road
We believe that the half roundabout with a signalised pedestrian crossing will improve the current road layout and provide several benefits. It meets the project objectives and was also strongly supported by public feedback.
The following are the key reasons why the preferred option has been selected:
 The community supports the half roundabout option
 The community also supports a signalised pedestrian crossing to replace the existing zebra crossing. It provides increased safety for pedestrians, with minimal impact on SH44 traffic
 The combination of a half roundabout and signalised pedestrian crossing addresses the existing issues at this location by:
1. improving safety and efficiency for all road users
2. simplifying the connections between local roads and SH44
3. improving the street environment while minimising the effect on parking
4. providing more opportunities for landscaping
Thanks again to those who have helped inform this proposed design.
Yours sincerely
Joshua Robertson
Senior Engineer – Traffic & Transportation at WSP (acting on behalf of The Agency)