Roundabout tenders called

By Roy Pilott

John Hansen’s dream of seeing a flyover rather than a roundabout at the Piarere intersection of highways one and 29 appears to have been dashed.

The Cambridge resident’s case won a lot of support in Waipā – and from the Waikato Chamber of Commerce – but when he argued against Waka Kotahi’s plan in the Environment Court judge David Fitzpatrick found he did not have supporting data and evidence.

Following on from April’s court approval for the project, Waka Kotahi is now calling for tenders.

The intersection can be a nightmare at times for drivers heading from the Bay of Plenty wait to turn right onto State Highway 1.

Waka Kotahi said it had looked at other options, but a $40 million two lane roundabout was the best choice.

The roundabout will provide for a connection with the Waikato Expressway when it is extended further south.

In arguing in favour of the roundabout, Waka Kotahi said that in the morning peak there was an average delay of 15 seconds and a typical queue length of 26m; and in the afternoon peak there was an average delay of 23 seconds and a typical queue length of 51m.

Hansen said that evidence was out of touch. He told The News the expressway to Warkworth “is $880 million, that works out at a little under $50,000 per metre for a four lane highway.

“A flyover for Piarere is a single lane of 800 metres and at $50,000 per metre will cost the same as the roundabout and the intersection will be flowing through the south bound traffic, not holding up the traffic on SH29 and SH1 north bound.

He said that amounted to a huge amount of traffic safety and time saving.

Something “doesn’t see right”, he said. Waka Kotahi is also planning to convert another T intersection in Waipā to a roundabout.

This one is at the intersection of Raynes Rd and State Highway 3.

The intersection is a blackspot and will get busier when Hamilton’s Peacocke development opens.

The roading agency hopes to start work on the project – expected to cost $8 millionbefore the end of the year.