Helvetia Road and Victoria Street intersection improvements, Pukekohe
Consultation has concluded
Consultation Outcome
We want to thank the community of Helvetia Road and Victoria Street in Pukekohe, for their engagement and feedback on our proposal to improve road operation and safety by installing a roundabout at the Helvetia Road and Victoria Street intersection.
After reviewing the feedback we received, we are proceeding with no changes.
What happens next
This is a priority project, however construction timeframes will be determined once funding is confirmed.
We'll be in touch with local residents before any changes take place.
Community Feedback
Thank you for helping us make better decisions for your neighbourhood, informed by your local knowledge.
We received 9 submissions on our online survey and 3 emails. 10 supported with suggestions and one selected suggestion and another selected needs more information.
Some of the supportive comments are below:
- This will be so much safer with a roundabout especially with the growth of Pukekohe and for pedestrians.
- That intersection is an absolute NIGHTMARE! So many accidents, close calls & unreasonably long lines. A round-a-bout would make that all so much easier.
- Hopefully it will reduce the constant speeding from West Street through to the Princes Street roundabout. Speed is a continual nightmare daily.
- Safety for our whanau. Welcoming for visitors. Excellent for resale of property.
- I think that this design should be standard at all intersection, it will help slow vehicles down making this intersection safer from drivers and pedestrians alike, so making this more pleasant and enjoyable for pedestrians.
- Improve safety and allow better traffic flow.
- Do it faster. / Faster is better.
Below is a summary of your feedback and our responses.
CCTV
- Suggestion for implementing CCTV to the new lighting might help monitor the flow. The roundabout at Harris Street and West Street often gets clogged with traffic, backing up to Helvetia Street during busy times.
We do not install CCTV cameras for monitoring at roundabouts. These are only considered for new traffic signals as adjustments can be made to signal phasing when necessary.
Monitoring of the roundabout will be undertaken as necessary through traffic counts and observations, possibility with the use video surveys.
With regards to the operation of the Helvetia Road/West Street/Harris Street roundabout, given it is an arterial intersection – some congestion is expected during peak times. However, this is within acceptable levels. Modelling for the proposed roundabout confirmed that the performance of the overall intersection will be significantly improved with the proposal.
Speed bumps / raised crossing
- Suggestion for adding speed bumps at least two:
• Between West Street and Victoria Street, and more between Victoria and Princes Streets, would be beneficial.
• Adding speed bumps at the entry to the intersection.
Helvetia Road is a key route for heavy vehicles in Pukekohe and is expected to continue to be so as currently outlined in the Supporting Growth Pukekohe transport network assessment. As such, speed bumps would not be appropriate along this route.
The design of the roundabout aims to effectively slow down small vehicles and provide adequate clearances for trucks.
Speeds along the route will be better managed with this proposal as this will be the second roundabout along the route with the first being that at the Helvetia Road/Princes Street intersection installed in 2020.
Other
- Request for the proposed design to accommodate large tractors and machinery for access to dealerships on Paerata Road, such as Brandt, Powerfarming, and Tractor Centre.
The proposed design is similar to the Princes Street roundabout, the design vehicle used for all turning movements is a semi-trailer and high productivity motor vehicles (HPMVs) for through movements. This allows for large tractors and machinery.
About the project
We’ve received requests from the community and the Franklin Local Board for improvements at the Helvetia Road and Victoria Street intersection. In addition, there are known safety issues at this site, resulting in it being identified as a high-risk intersection.
In response, we are proposing the following safety improvements.
What we're proposing
We're improving road operation and safety at the intersection of Helvetia Road and Victoria Street, Pukekohe.
Helvetia Road and Victoria Street intersection - Proposal Picture
- Install a roundabout at the Helvetia Road and Victoria Street intersection. The roundabout will have a central island and a mountable outer edge that allows large vehicles to drive over the outer edge easily.
- Install an island with a pedestrian waiting area on each leg of the roundabout with accompanying kerb ramps.
- Widen footpaths on all four corners and install yellow tactile pavers at the crossing points to help people find their way to crossings and safely cross the road.
- Relocate a power pole and install new streetlights to light up the intersection.
- Install new signage and paint new road markings to support the new roundabout.
Benefits and impacts
- Addresses the current crash patterns at the intersection of Helvetia Road and Victoria Street.
- Improves safety for all road users by reducing vehicle speeds, increasing driver awareness, and providing enhanced crossing facilities at the intersection.
- Caters for the growing traffic in Pukekohe due to nearby development.
- Manages corridor speeds on Helvetia Road. This is the second of two roundabouts proposed on this corridor with the first roundabout installed at the Helvetia Road and Princes Street intersection in 2020.
- We need to clear access and re-allocate road space by removing one on-street parking space on Victoria Street East and four on-street parking spaces on Victoria Street West to accommodate the required intersection changes.
What we want your feedback on
We are seeking feedback from nearby residents and businesses on our proposal to improve operation and safety at the intersection of Helvetia Road and Victoria Street.
How you can have your say
Have your say by completing the online feedback form. The form will be open from 8 October 2024 to 22 October 2024.
