Kāpiti Coast residents are outraged by a lengthy road detour, with some planning to protest it.
State Highway 35 north of Tologa Bay has been closed Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Kāpiti Coast residents are outraged by a lengthy road detour, with some planning to protest it.
Transport Agency Waka Kotahi have started work to install a clip-on bike and pedestrian pathway for the Waikanae Bridge.
The Waikanae Bridge was part of State Highway 1 until the Kāpiti Expressway was built, and it is used extensively by residents travelling between towns along the Kāpiti Coast.
Southbound traffic was now detouring through urban streets onto the expressway, then back into Paraparaumu.
Tuesday was the first day of the detour and it caused significant issues, with Kāpiti Expressway traffic backed up on the Paraparaumu off ramp and onto the road.
It is expected the changes will be in place till at least May.
Many residents have been angered by the detour, with some posting online that they are preparing for a protest in Waikanae on Friday.
In December Kāpiti Mayor Janet Holborow wrote to Waka Kotahi expressing concern about the change.
Holborow said the diversion will take at least 15 minutes, with possibly up to a half hour delay for residents trying to get to school and work.
She said there would be huge disruption to local businesses.
"What we would really like is NZTA to look again at the traffic modelling, and the traffic management plan and consider stop/go alternatives for at least some periods of the day."
Waka Kotahi regional relationships director Emma Speight said it was changing the timing of traffic lights to improve flows through the area.
"They are looking in real time at what is happening and adjusting the phasing to reduce the risk of queues going back onto the expressway and also ensuring that traffic trying to get through on local roads is still able to move through."
She explained why Waka Kotahi had not put stop/go traffic management on the bridge.
"We would have some issues with tailbacks [queues] both for northbound traffic and southbound traffic."
There had not yet been the level of disruption that would warrant altering the detour, she said.
"We know that for example when school goes back that we will see some more changes in the traffic and we'll have to have another look at it carefully then, but at this stage we want to wait about a week, see how it's settling, see if it's working okay and if we need to make any further changes we'll look at it at that stage."
Waikanae Ward Councilor Jocelyn Prvanov said it could have major impacts on businesses.
"People are saying they're not going to go to Waikanae to shop anymore because it's just too difficult and it's going to take too long, so yes it's really quite a serious situation."
Otaki MP Tim Costley said he understood why businesses were worried about the detour.
"They're rightfully really concerned about the impact on their business, I'm really concerned about that, and I want to find a solution so that we can minimise the disruption to those businesses."
Speight said Waka Kotahi was in discussions with businesses to put up messaging that advertises Waikanae is open for business.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown told RNZ he has sought advice from Waka Kotahi on how the project can be sped up to reduce the impact on the local community.
