A petition calling on the government to reconsider four-laning State Highway 1 between Rolleston and Ashburton has 83 signatures in its first week.
A similar petition was launched seven years ago, by a former Rangitata MP, Andrew Falloon.
Canterbury woman Rachel Gillard-Tew has launched the latest petition, at change.org.
While the petition has failed to gain traction to date, both New Zealand Transport Agency and the Minister for the South Island have not rejected the idea.
NZTA hasn’t ruled out four-laning the 63km stretch of road in future, but it is not part of its National Land Transport Plan 2024-2027.
NZTA regional manager for system design Rich Osborne told Local Democracy Reporting the agency was aware of safety concerns about the busy State Highway 1 corridor, as raised in the petition.
However, safety improvement works were being planned and undertaken, he told LDR.
“Providing for wide centre lines has been a recent focus of safety improvements.
“This creates more space between lanes and keeps vehicles further apart, which can reduce serious crashes resulting in death and serious injuries.
“Recent work has included widening of the southbound shoulder of State Highway 1 south of Rolleston, between Dunns Crossing Rd and Burnham Rd, to install a wide centre line.”
Further improvements planned over the next few years included building a second Ashburton bridge, a Rolleston access improvements project, and a new roundabout at the Burnham Rd/ Aylesbury Rd intersection.
Rangitata MP, and South Island Minister, James Meager, also speaking to LDR, said the idea of four-laning needed to be re-evaluated.
“We need to do the work to see how it stacks up – the last time anyone looked at it seriously was in 2017, before Labour came into government,’’ Meager said.
“My main focus is getting construction started on the second Ashburton bridge and making progress on our other major South Island roading projects.”
Gillard-Tew said the potential for ‘‘devastating accidents’’ was increasing by the day on the stretch of highway as it became busier.
“The lack of safe intersections and an adequate median barrier makes this highway section particularly perilous,’’ she said.
“The need for immediate action is clear and compelling.”
– Upgrade State Highway 1 between Rolleston and Ashburton petition is at change.org/p/upgrade-state-highway-1-between-rolleston-and-ashburton
