Numerous complaints as Jack’s Point traffic increases dramatically - NZTA responds
Jack’s Point residents say traffic has “dramatically increased” exiting Jack’s Point during peak hour with neighbouring Hanley’s Farm residents diverting there to use Jack’s Point’s safer and normally less clogged exit onto the State Highway.
Chairman of the Jack’s Point Residents’ Association Mike Coburn says they’ve received “numerous complaints” from Jack’s Point residents frustrated with having to wait in long queues - sometimes 1km long, just to exit onto the State Highway.
The association’s committee is now in talks with the Queenstown Lakes District Council amid concerns about the ongoing wear and tear on Jack’s Point’s roads. “We’re concerned about the maintenance of our roads,” Coburn says. “It’s likely to increase substantially the maintenance costs.”
He’s seen the traffic backed up as far in as Homestead Bay Road and Jack’s Point residents trying to get onto a now congested Māori Jack Road from Morrison Drive and Jack’s Point Rise, which is becoming increasingly frustrating for them.
“Our intersection is safe and people have to stop there – it’s a different type of intersection.”
On the other hand, Hanley’s residents are extremely concerned about the delays and dangers trying to access the 100km/hr State Highway from their own exit, many saying it’s only a matter of time before there’s a serious accident.
They’re urging the New Zealand Transport Agency to lower the highway speed limit before tragedy occurs.
NZTA responds
New Zealand Transport Agency system design regional manager Richard Osborne says several weeks ago, after a crash and a Facebook post urging action from a Hanley’s resident, they received 27 queries
and complaints about the Hanley’s intersection. “We will be responding to each of those,” he says.
Osborne says his team was “not familiar with traffic redirecting to Māori Jack Road at Jack’s Point specifically, but it is understandable that this may be happening if there is congestion at the Hanley’s Farm intersection”.
He says different options for the Hanley’s State Highway intersection have been considered and the current preferred option is a roundabout. “However, any funding for safety improvements will need to be considered in future National Land Transport Programmes cycles.”
“People can be assured that NZTA is looking at the speed limit on that section of State Highway 6/Kingston Road,” Osborne says. “The location has been logged as a community request to be considered alongside other requests for a speed limit review, under the framework of the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024.”
The timing of any formal assessment or community consultation will depend on “alignment with the requirements of the Rule, funding, priorities and how it aligns with wider speed management work in the area”.
“We will be able to share more as we work through this process, and any speed limit review will be notified,” he says.
