Transport options  |  6 Apr 2023

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The busy Cashmere intersection at the base of the Port Hills could soon get some improvements to address ongoing safety concerns and a high crash rate.

At its April 13 meeting, the Waihoro/Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board will consider a report recommending safety improvements to the Cashmere, Centaurus, Colombo, Dyers Pass roundabout.

There have been 27 crashes reported over a ten year period (2010-2021), 10 of which resulted in serious injury. Six of the 10 involved people riding bicycles and four were riding a motorcycle or scooter. A further eight crashes occurred during that time involving people riding a bike, resulting in minor injury.

Staff are recommending a series of safety improvements including raised safety platforms to encourage safe speeds as vehicles travel through the roundabout as well as make it safer and easier for people to cross the busy intersection.  

The report also recommends:

  • Narrowing the road widths approaching the roundabout and installing sharrow markings to indicate that people riding bicycles and vehicles share the lane.
  • Widen the existing pedestrian refuge islands and add zebra pedestrian and cycle crossings on Colombo Street and Centaurus Road to create safer crossing points.
  • Build out the kerb on the corner of Colombo Street and Centaurus Road to slow vehicles turning left into Centaurus Road and provide space for landscaping.
  • Build out the kerb on Dyers Pass and Cashmere Road to slow vehicles turning left into Cashmere Road.
  • Add a concrete lip around the centre of the roundabout to reduce the speed of people travelling in the roundabout.

“The Cashmere/Colombo/Centaurus/Dyers Pass intersection is a busy intersection used by many people travelling to school, work or across the community. Whether people are travelling through this intersection on foot, by bicycle, by bus or driving, they should be able to do so safely,” the staff report says.

More than 400 submissions were made during the consultation process with the majority asking for traffic signals to be installed.

However staff say traffic signals could create additional delays for road users at off-peak times, would not address the likelihood or severity of collisions occurring and would add significant cost to the project as land purchase would be also be required.

This project is being funded by the Christchurch Regeneration Acceleration Fund (CRAF).