Mayor calls for investigation into more options at intersection
Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas will this week ask councillors to support an urgent investigation into more options to manage traffic flow at the Napier Road/Kiddle Drive/Arrowsmith Avenue intersection.
This follows ongoing community commentary about the changes at the intersection in October last year where traffic flow was changed to give priority giving traffic travelling on Kiddle Drive and Arrowsmith Avenue the right of way, with vehicles on Napier Road required to stop. The previous layout was named one of New Zealand Transport Agency’s top 10 crash sites in 2009 with the new design created in consultation with traffic specialists to ensure safety was the number one priority.
Mr Trewavas has prepared a notice of motion to be considered at Thursday’s first council meeting of the year, asking for the chief executive to ‘urgently prepare an analysis of bringing forward an alternative solution’ for the intersection ‘to enable the urgent and immediate construction of a roundabout, installation of traffic lights, or an alternative intersection treatment’.
The notice of motion requests a report on alternatives be brought back to the council meeting on 25 February, at the latest. Funding for a roundabout or alternative option has been allowed for in the long term plan in years 2026/27 and 2027/28, if required.