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An upgrade starts on Monday at the crossroads of Claudelands
Work is underway on an obsolete intersection in Hamilton, which will result in a more user-friendly version.
The City Council is improving the Claudelands Rd – Gray St intersection in the coming month to improve safety, the road and traffic lights.
Work will begin Monday at the Claudelands Rd/Grey St junction, up to the Heaphy Terrace/O’Neill Street/Brooklyn Road junction, and the project is expected to take four weeks to complete.
This means that the intersection is closed to motorists, but accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
The Claudelands Bridge will also be closed to through traffic, but will be open to pedestrians and those on bicycles. Residents and companies in construction and the surrounding area will remain accessible during these works.
Martin Parkes, public transport and urban mobility manager, is pleased that work has begun on what is said to be one of Hamilton’s most complicated intersections.
“Hamilton is growing and our roads are getting busier, so it’s critical that we continue to improve safety, accessibility and connectivity in key areas of our city for all types of road users.”
The intersection has been identified as a high safety risk, especially for those walking or cycling.
The upgrade work includes improving pedestrian and cycling facilities, installing traffic calming measures and adapting traffic lights.
As part of these safety improvements, a right turn from Gray Street to Claudelands Road is also being implemented, streamlining the main flow of traffic turning right onto Brooklyn Road.
“We are providing the right transport facilities and services so that we can continue to meet the demands of our city’s current and future growth – and this includes facilities for people who choose to travel by car, foot, bicycle or per other active agents,” Parkes said.
When the upgrade is complete, the cycling and walking path network will connect from the event center, across the Claudelands Bridge and into the city center.
The project is jointly funded by Waka Kotahi, the municipality and funding is also expected from the transportation choice package of the central government’s Climate Emergency Fund.