Latest news with #safetyimprovements
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Waiuku's $400,000 pedestrian crossing proposal paused after criticism from local board
Gary Holmes has pointed to the use of raised rubber crossings used in Australia. Photo: Supplied A nearly $400,000 proposal for a raised pedestrian crossing in the south Auckland town of Waiuku has been put on hold. The Auckland Transport project has been a source of contention in among community leaders, with the town's main street of Queen Street needing to be closed for 30 days for work to be completed. Franklin Local Board member Gary Holmes said following a meeting on Tuesday, the proposal had been paused. "I'm pleased my fellow local board members are supporting my recommendation that we pause this project," he said. "We ask Auckland Transport to come and workshop that with the board so we can fully understand what the project entails, the cost involved and potentially other alternatives." Gary Holmes had led calls for cheaper alternative materials for the raised crossing, advocating for a rubber raised crossing which he said was used in Australia. He estimated a rubber raised crossing could be installed for less than $100,000 and take less than a day to complete. "It's frankly astounding that Auckland Transport continues to push these exorbitant and disruptive raised table crossings when demonstrably better options exist," Holmes said. "The community is fed up with the endless road closures and the eye-watering price tags for what should be simple safety improvements." The Franklin Local Board member also pointed to the success of a trial rubber roundabout which already exists in Waiuku. "Waiuku already boasts one of this company's rubber roundabouts, proving the efficacy of these solutions in our community," Holmes said. "It's time Auckland Transport stopped operating in a vacuum and started listening to common sense, and embracing solutions that are better for ratepayers and better for our communities. "Waiuku is ready to lead Auckland on pedestrian crossings, demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to road safety that is both efficient and economical, without compromising on the safety of our most vulnerable road users," he said. The rubber roundabout has been trialled in Waiuku. Photo: Supplied Auckland Transport group manager of infrastructure project delivery Mark Banfield said the project was initially in response to safety concerns raised by the Waiuku community. "AT proposed a multi-street safety improvement project which includes works on Queen Street, George Street, Mellsop Avenue and Kent Street in Waiuku. "Our pedestrian surveys showed dozens of unaccompanied children walk through this area on weekdays and when we engaged with the Waiuku community in April 2023, most respondents told us the changes would benefit the community. "There have been some recent concerns raised by the Franklin Local Board and community members about the cost of the project, the time it will take to complete, along with our shared concerns about the disruption that the project will cause during construction. "We are committed to listening and responding to the needs and concerns of our communities and balancing the disruption that comes with road construction projects against the safety and benefits they will deliver. "Our project team will now work through these concerns and possible solutions with the Franklin Local Board in a workshop before we progress any further with this project or start construction. We will also engage with the community again on any potential changes to the proposal," Banfield said. AT said the construction estimate for the raised crossing was only $65,000 and "is only a small part of the proposed project, which encompasses a multi-street safety upgrade scheme that also includes footpath and drainage upgrades." They said a temporary rubber device would need to be replaced within five years with the overall cost of construction of their initial proposal to be $383,000. Gary Holmes said he disputed the breakdown of costs. "I see that AT is stating that the raised pedestrian crossing part of the project is $65,000 only, well I call them on that. "Any sort of project like that, includes consultancy fees, traffic management ect, so they're putting a spin on that which I think is disingenuous." Holmes said he expected a resolution between the two parties in the coming months. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CBC
27-05-2025
- CBC
In wake of London, Ont.-area crash that killed 5, municipality looking at safety upgrades
Local councillors are calling for safety improvements at an intersection outside London, Ont., after four high school students and a teacher died following a crash on Friday. A motion considered at this evening's Thames Centre council meeting calls on the upper-tier municipalities of Middlesex and Oxford to conduct a traffic and roadway study of the intersection once the ongoing OPP investigation wraps up. Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the motion. It was at the intersection, at about 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, that four high school students — aged 16 to 17 — and their 33-year-old teacher died after the SUV they were riding in collided with a transport truck. Following the initial collision, the SUV was then struck by a second SUV. Three of the five died at the scene and the two others died in hospital. The driver of the transport truck and two people in the other SUV suffered minor injuries. The students and teacher were on their way home to Walkerton — two hours away — after competing in a high school softball tournament in Dorchester, just east of London. The students have been identified as Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford and Danica Baker. Their teacher was Matt Eckert. The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of support. Friends and family members held a vigil Sunday in Walkerton. Thames Centre Coun. Thomas Heeman is backing a motion that calls on the upper-tier municipalities of Middlesex Centre and Oxford County to consider undertaking a traffic study of the intersection to find ways to improve its safety. "We haven't seen a loss of life this significant in some time," said Heeman. "I think the council wants to indicate that we want to work in partnership with the county ... on whatever can be done to learn from this situation and prevent such an incident in the future." Cobble Hills Road is two lanes and runs north-south. Drivers on Cobble Hills come to a stop sign at the intersection of the busier Thorndale Road. Tyson Ball is general manager of the Cobble Hills Golf Club, located two kilometres south of the intersection with Thorndale Road. He frequently drives through the intersection. Ball didn't comment on what may have caused Friday's crash, but welcomes any safety enhancements to the road. Drivers often reach highway speeds on the open farm roads and then blow past stop signs, creating the potential for deadly T-bone collisions, Ball added. "They're 80-kilometre-an-hour highways but drivers tend to drive that or a little bit faster," he said. "And we have a lot of people that just drive through the stop signs, whether they don't see them, or they're distracted or it's night-time or whatever." Ball said adding rumble strips on Cobble Hills Road near the Thorndale Road intersection might help. The strips generate noise to alert drivers they're coming to a stop sign. About five kilometres south of Friday's crash site is the intersection of Cobble Hills Road and Evelyn Drive, where lights were added atop stop signs after a number of crashes, including a fatal collision in 2022. Heeman would like the municipality to consider that kind of upgrade at the intersection where Friday's crash happened. "It's just finding ways to highlight [the stop signs] so they become more visible," he said. Woman travels to area to honour the victims Meanwhile, mourning the students and teacher continues. On Monday, Valerie Brown made a special trip to the crash site from Woodstock, about 30 minutes away, to place a bouquet of flowers at the roadside. "I just couldn't stop thinking about the girls, and their families, and the teacher, and the poor town and everybody concerned," said Brown. "I have a 16-year-old granddaughter who plays hockey and she could be in the same situation. "I feel so deeply for the people of Walkerton, and I just wanted the parents and the town to know that there are so many people out here that think about them, that care about them and sympathize with them."
CBC
26-05-2025
- CBC
In wake of London, Ont.-area crash that killed 5, municipality asked to consider safety upgrades
Local councillors are calling for safety improvements at an intersection outside London, Ont., after four high school students and a teacher died following a crash on Friday. A motion set to be considered at this evening's Thames Centre council meeting calls on the upper-tier municipalities of Middlesex and Oxford to conduct a traffic and roadway study of the intersection once the ongoing OPP investigation wraps up. It was at that intersection, at about 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, that four high school students — aged 16 to 17 — and their 33-year-old teacher died after the SUV they were riding in collided with a transport truck. Following the initial collision, the SUV was then struck by a second SUV. Three of the five died at the scene and the two others died in hospital. The driver of the transport truck and two people in the other SUV suffered minor injuries. The students and teacher were on their way home to Walkerton — two hours away — after competing in a high school softball tournament in Dorchester, just east of London. The students have been identified as Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford and Danica Baker. Their teacher was Matt Eckert. The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of support. Friends and family members held a vigil Sunday in Walkerton. Thames Centre Coun. Thomas Heeman is backing a motion that calls on the upper-tier municipalities of Middlesex Centre and Oxford County to consider undertaking a traffic study of the intersection to find ways to improve its safety. "We haven't seen a loss of life this significant in some time," said Heeman. "I think the council wants to indicate that we want to work in partnership with the county ... on whatever can be done to learn from this situation and prevent such an incident in the future." Cobble Hills Road is two lanes and runs north-south. Drivers on Cobble Hills come to a stop sign at the intersection of the busier Thorndale Road. Tyson Ball is general manager of the Cobble Hills Golf Club, located two kilometres south of the intersection with Thorndale Road. He frequently drives through the intersection. Ball didn't comment on what may have caused Friday's crash, but welcomes any safety enhancements to the road. Drivers often reach highway speeds on the open farm roads and then blow past stop signs, creating the potential for deadly T-bone collisions, Ball added. "They're 80-kilometre-an-hour highways but drivers tend to drive that or a little bit faster," he said. "And we have a lot of people that just drive through the stop signs, whether they don't see them, or they're distracted or it's night-time or whatever." Ball said adding rumble strips on Cobble Hills Road near the Thorndale Road intersection might help. The strips generate noise to alert drivers they're coming to a stop sign. About five kilometres south of Friday's crash site is the intersection of Cobble Hills Road and Evelyn Drive, where lights were added atop stop signs after a number of crashes, including a fatal collision in 2022. Heeman would like the municipality to consider that kind of upgrade at the intersection where Friday's crash happened. "It's just finding ways to highlight [the stop signs] so they become more visible," he said. Woman travels to area to honour the victims Meanwhile, mourning the students and teacher continues. On Monday, Valerie Brown made a special trip to the crash site from Woodstock, about 30 minutes away, to place a bouquet of flowers at the roadside. "I just couldn't stop thinking about the girls, and their families, and the teacher, and the poor town and everybody concerned," said Brown. "I have a 16-year-old granddaughter who plays hockey and she could be in the same situation. "I feel so deeply for the people of Walkerton, and I just wanted the parents and the town to know that there are so many people out here that think about them, that care about them and sympathize with them."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Speed bumps removed in Cocoa Beach after city leaders say they never wanted them
The Brief Speedbumps were installed for only a short period of time in Cocoa Beach. They're being removed this week. City leaders say they never wanted the speed bumps in the first place. Taxpayers are wondering why projects have to be done, then redone, in the community. COCOA BEACH, Fla. - Road crews in Brevard County spent the week removing recently installed speed bumps along State Road A1A, in Cocoa Beach just weeks after their controversial addition sparked backlash from both residents and city officials. What we know Road crews were out along State Road A1A this week re-paving parts of the road that had speed bumps put in recently. Cocoa Beach Mayor Keith Capizzi says he was clear with the agency. He never wanted the bumps installed and was surprised when multiple were placed in town. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) claims they were in communication with local cities for years planning safety improvements. The bumps were removed after enough pushback from residents and city leaders. This isn't the first issue like this on the Space Coast. In 2023, officials in Indialantic also had issues with a safety improvement speed bump installed on 5th Ave. That also had to be removed and repaved. Residents think the agencies and cities need to communicate better to save taxpayers from paying for projects twice. The entire safety improvements in Cocoa Beach were estimated to be $3.9 million in total. What we don't know FDOT says they aren't sure how much it will cost to remove the speed bumps. What they're saying Mayor Keith Capizzi said he was surprised to see multiple speed bumps — officially referred to as raised crosswalks — installed throughout the city, despite making it clear he opposed them. "It was surprising because I thought we agreed we weren't going to do that, so it was surprising," said Mayor Capizzi. "I just would like more collaboration." "I see the point of truing to slow people down, but they're kind of more of a hassle than anything," said resident Jason Anderson. "Coordination with the City of Cocoa Beach has occurred throughout every stage of this project to incorporate their feedback into the final design," FDOT said, citing multiple meetings, including a City Commission session on Feb. 1 where alternative design options — including raised crosswalks — were presented and discussed. Read Full FDOT Statement The agency released a lengthy statement Wednesday detailing its efforts to include Cocoa Beach officials and the public in the design process: "For any project, FDOT works closely with local municipalities and community stakeholders from the earliest planning stages through project completion."The pedestrian safety improvement project along S.R. A1A in Cocoa Beach is no different. Coordination with the City of Cocoa Beach has occurred throughout every stage of this project to incorporate their feedback into the final design. Throughout the development and design of the project, FDOT held stakeholder meetings with the city to understand their goals for the project. A public meeting was held on March 1, 2022, and meeting notifications were sent in advance to local elected officials, city staff, and property owners along the project limits. Members of the FDOT design project team attended a City Commission meeting on February 1, 2024, to present the proposed improvement options and receive feedback. One of the options proposed were 12 new crosswalks that were not raised. The City Commission then voted unanimously to approve their preferred alternative for the project and provided input on the crosswalks, design features, and signage, including two raised crosswalks at both ends of the project limits. After further follow-up with city staff after the meeting, FDOT confirmed these changes with a letter to the City and moved forward with construction in line with what was agreed upon by the City Commission and coordinated with staff. See the attached email for reference. "The 'speed bumps' you refer to are raised crosswalks, and were among the features discussed, revised, and finalized through this collaborative process. The total estimated construction cost for the safety improvements along S.R. A1A in Cocoa Beach is $3.9 million. The specific cost to remove the raised crosswalks is not yet determined. "FDOT values strong relationships and communication with our local municipal partners, whether a project is underway or not. Local input helps shape our projects and is always welcome. The Department looks forward to the continued partnership with Cocoa Beach and to delivering improvements that benefit all road users." STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source FOX 35's Reporter Esther Bower interviewed the mayor and residents on May 21, 2025. She also sent an email and spoke on the phone with reps from FDOT before she was sent a statement from the agency on May 21, 2025. She spoke with some workers in downtown Cocoa Beach who were inspecting the speed bumps.
