The City Council is proposing major changes to three intersections on Riccarton Rd. The most extensive will be the intersection of Riccarton, Middleton and Ilam Roads.

Under the proposals, through traffic from Middleton Rd to Ilam Rd will be blocked. It will become a T intersection with only a left-hand turn out of Middleton Rd allowed, and a left turn from Riccarton Rd for vehicles travelling west.

 Other changes will include:

 ■   Restricting Riccarton Road access to and from Middleton Road to left in and left out. A traffic island will physically enforce this restriction.
 ■   Narrowing Middleton Road at the intersection with Riccarton Road to allow more footpath space for pedestrians.
 ■   Removing the left turn slip lanes from Ilam Road into Riccarton Road to allow more footpath space for pedestrians.
 ■   A west-bound bus lane for buses and cyclists is used as a left turn lane for vehicles wanting to turn into Middleton Road after the intersection with Ilam Road and Riccarton Road. This lane is signed ‘Left lane left turn only except buses and cyclists‘.
 ■   An eastbound left turn lane into Ilam road designed to allow the buses to go straight through and allowing them to jump the traffic queue. This lane is signed ‘Left lane left turn only except buses and cyclists’.
 ■   A pedestrian refuge island on Middleton Road at Riccarton Road to replace the signalised crossing in the current intersection layout.
 ■   A pedestrian/cycle shared refuge island on Middleton Road for cyclists crossing Middleton Road.

The two other intersections where changes will be made will be:
 ■   Clyde Road / Riccarton Road / Wharenui Road
and
 ■   Hansons Lane / Riccarton Road / Waimairi Road
though the proposals for these are less extensive.

More information can be found at https://cccgovtnz.cwp.govt.nz/the-council/consultations-and-submissions/haveyoursay/show/224
and the council is inviting submissions, which close on Monday, 11 March.