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An artist’s impression shows the new layout of Ferguson St at Linton St with traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing outside the supermarket.
A solution has been found for pedestrians wanting to make their way across “the moat” of a four-laned Ferguson St into Palmerston North’s central business area.
On-demand traffic signals will be installed outside the supermarket on Ferguson St, between Linton St and Fitzherbert Ave, similar to those on Ruahine St near Palmerston North Hospital, and on Fitzherbert Ave outside Girls’ High School.
The need for a pedestrian crossing was raised by city councillors and residents last year when a much-delayed project to put in lights at Ferguson St and Pitt St was debated.
The roading project also includes extra traffic lanes between Linton and Pitt streets, completing the city’s urban ring road around the central city.
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The ring road was designed for truck and freight vehicles especially to travel around the city centre rather than through it, and rather than using residential streets further out from the centre.
The final plan, ticked off by city councillors on Wednesday, now includes the pedestrian crossing at the supermarket, adding about $260,000 to the total cost.
The contract for the full package was being debated in the public-excluded part of the meeting.
Council group manager for transport and development Hamish Featonby said in his report to council that the crossing would have benefits for pedestrians, but would interfere with vehicle flows.
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An artist’s impression shows the new layout for the Ferguson St/Pitt St intersection in Palmerston North.
Other options considered were not appropriate, he said.
Zebra crossings were not a good solution across more than two lanes, and median refuge islands encouraged pedestrians, but offered no real safety.
The location of the crossing was not expected to impede traffic wanting to turn right from Ferguson St into Linton St, a manoeuvre councillors had been concerned to retain.
Vehicle movements out of Linton St on to Ferguson St, however, would be restricted to left turns only.
In the last 10 years there had been 10 crashes at the intersection, most involving vehicles from Linton St travelling straight across Ferguson St, or turning right into it.
Councillors approved the mid-block pedestrian crossing without debate.
