Transport options  |  27 Oct 2023

Share this story

A busy Christchurch intersection is getting a safety upgrade.

Work to improve the Marshland, Briggs and Lake Terrace Road intersection begins from Monday 30 October and is expected to be finished in early December.

Upgrades include safety platforms on each approach of the intersection, footpath and cycle lane improvements, a new median island and traffic signals, new road markings and changes to the light phasing.

“The Council wants to reduce the number of serious crashes on our network so everyone can get where they are going safely regardless of how they travel,” Transport Operations Manager Stephen Wright said.

“This is a very busy intersection, close to Homebase Shopping Centre. Each day we have 29,000 drivers using Marshland Road and 17,000 using Briggs Road.”

At this intersection there have been 36 crashes between 2010 and 2019. This includes 12 injury crashes with four people being seriously injured. 

The main causes of these crashes have been red light running, right-turning traffic failing to give way and right-angle crashes.

“We know people will continue to make mistakes when travelling, so things like the safe speed platforms are there to reduce the severity of any injury when crashes inevitably occur,” he said.

“At traffic lights, the primary goal is to reduce the speed of vehicles entering the intersection to reduce the severity of systemic crash types that occur at signals such as the right-angle collisions. The data shows the platforms can reduce death and serious injuries by up to 40 per cent.”

“We’ve previously installed a safe speed platform at the Lincoln Road, Barrington Street and Whiteleigh Avenue intersection, which is another one of the city’s busiest junctions. We’ve been really pleased to see vehicles reducing their speeds across this intersection, as all road users feel safer when cars travel at slower speeds.”

The project will cost approximately $660,000 and is being funded through the Christchurch Regeneration Acceleration facility (CRAF). The purpose of this fund is to deliver transport projects that will improve liveability and support regeneration across Ōtautahi Christchurch.