Call to fix busy Greymouth intersection

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Calls to revise the road layout at either end of the Cobden Bridge at Greymouth could cost $2 million, the West Coast Regional Transport Committee (RTC) has been warned.

The State Highway 6 road bridge, linking the main part of Greymouth with the suburb of Cobden, Runanga and the Coast Road through to Westport, has become increasingly congested, with regular crashes on the intersections at either end of the bridge.

NZ Transport Agency regional relationships director James Caygill said a fix was likely to be costly and would need to be assessed against other priorities.

"I don't think it will be less than $2m," Caygill said.

However, he told the committee he was happy to put the Cobden Bridge "on the list" but it was likely to be considered within minor works.

The discussion came after Atarau resident Ray Beckford called for NZTA to install a roundabout at the Cobden end of the bridge due to traffic backing up over the bridge as motorists tried to exit either end.

Beckford said believed it might be "a simple solution to the constant congestion and frequent accidents" at either end of the bridge.

He gave a pre-Covid example of when the West Coast was still busy with extra visitor traffic.

"I can remember an instance in which I suffered road rage, in disbelief, as I was waiting for a chance to turn on to the bridge coming from Coal Creek. But the cars were backed up all the way across the bridge."

He also flagged the 100kph open road zone "dangerous" intersection at Barrytown, where State highway 6 intersects with Cargill Rd beside the All Nations Hotel.

There was "a constant renewal" of skid marks in front of the pub, he said.

In Greymouth, the speed zone on State highway 6 past Karoro School, and the Tasman St link to the main road opposite that school had resulted in "too many close calls".

West Coast RTC member Peter Haddock said the issues raised were wider "local concerns".

Traffic had increased locally, with "large queues" on the bridge and a notable crash rate, Haddock said.

It would be good to investigate as the existing road layout dating from when it was built, in 1975.

"We've got a lot more traffic on our roads, even without the tourist vehicles," Haddock said.

"I think you are aware that the approaches to both ends of the bridge need upgrading ... the bridge has been there quite a number of years now."

Haddock noted himself the difficulty at Barrytown of trying to exit Cargill Road on to the main road and being caught out by speeding traffic on the state highway.

*Public interest journalism funded by NZ On Air