U turn on caravan park sparks safety upgrade

Plans to expand a Koromiko caravan park have triggered an upgrade of a notorious right-hand turn.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi will be building a new right turn bay at the Freeths Road/State Highway 1 intersection at the end of this month.

Road bosses are confident the move will make it safer to turn off the busy state highway which sees up to 6000 vehicles a day.

New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) member Graham Sutherland from Rangiora arrived at the camp on Friday.

He says he chose the camp because of its peaceful location.

But trying to turn right into the camp left him feeling like “a sitting duck,” he explains.

“There was a large truck behind me so I kept going and hoped I could turn around further up the road.

“Even then, having to do a 180 degree turn across two lanes of traffic coming back wasn’t great.”

The NZMCA are expanding their new site to safely accommodate up to 80 vans.

Until then, the park will continue to operate at a maximum capacity of 30 vans.

The turning bay is required as part of consent conditions for the association’s new campground which they acquired last year.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi has been working with the NZMCA on the project which will see the southbound lane of State Highway 1 widened between Picton Golf Course and 100 metres south of Freeths Road.

A flush median will extend from the right turn bay to Picton Golf Club.

Welcoming the move, Graham says he’s noticed a lot of Kiwi drivers don’t seem to be aware they can pull to the left until the road is clear.

But he says more signs highlighting the camp’s location are needed too to make it safer.

“You need to be able to know how far away it is, so maybe one half a kilometre beforehand and then a bigger one at the actual turn.

“You’re driving along and slowing down to where you think it is and all of a sudden there’s a big truck up your bum, it’s not ideal.”

Road crews will be on-site for around eight weeks with work to begin on 27 January and to continue until 28 March – weather permitting.

The work will predominantly be completed at night from Sunday to Thursday between 7 pm and 6 am under stop/go traffic management.

Drivers can expect delays of about 5 minutes warns a NZTA/Waka Kotahi spokesperson.

“Road users, especially those with ferry connections in Picton, should allow extra time for their journeys.

“Our contractors will do their best to minimise disruption where possible”.