The temporary markings for the roundabout at the landing Road bridge are set for an upgrade ahead of the busy holiday period.
The current barriers outlining the roundabout’s teardrop shape are to be removed and replaced with solid marker posts and white edge-lines. The redundant ‘give way’ markings on the road surface between the bridge and the roundabout will also be removed.
Whakatāne District Council Transportation Manager Martin Taylor says the improvements will “tidy up” the high-profile entry point to the urban area and will remain in place until a long-term traffic-flow solution is put in place.
“A traffic-flow study covering all of the major roads and intersections in Whakatāne township will be undertaken in 2018, and one of the key outcomes of that process will be to identify the best future option for the bridge roundabout,” he says. “That could involve the construction of a slip-lane to provide a free turn into Landing Road for traffic exiting the bridge, and reinstatement of access around the roundabout from Hinemoa Street and Landing Road West, or it could be a completely different form of intersection altogether.
“In the meantime, the new markings will formalise the teardrop configuration and make this important intersection look less like a construction zone.”
The work required is expected to be undertaken within the next two weeks.