Deadly intersection

CRASH CONCERNS: Felicity Street is among Wayby and Wellsford residents fearing further serious crashes at this State Highway 1 intersection with Wayby Valley Rd.

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Another crash at a notorious intersection on State Highway 1 south of Wellsford has locals calling for safety improvements.

The three-car crash at the intersection of Wayby Station Rd, Wayby Valley Rd and SH1 saw several people injured and closed the highway. It is the second serious accident at the spot in the past couple of months.

In November a 24-year-old woman was killed at the same intersection, and a second person received moderate injuries. It appears the woman’s car skidded in gravel after passing a stationary vehicle on the inside while it was waiting to turn right into Wayby Valley Rd. She then over-corrected and veered into oncoming traffic.

The crash on Saturday, January 23, followed a similar theme, with the occupants of a car turning right into Wayby Valley Rd being clipped from behind and spun into oncoming traffic. Another car went off the road and down a bank.

The occupants of the clipped car, Massey University associate professor Steven Little and wife Angelique, both psychologists, were taken to North Shore Hospital. While nursing some injuries and being badly bruised and shaken, they were not seriously hurt.

The couple had two dogs in the car. One received a broken leg, the other escaped injury but went missing for 24 hours.

They say they are grateful to nearby resident Felicity Street who came to help and took charge of their dog. She took it to the Wellsford Vet Clinic, which she says provided wonderful help, while organising a search for the other dog.

Ms Street has lived in a property about 300 metres from the intersection for the past 14 years.

"The number of crashes at the intersection has been increasing along with the traffic," she says.

"Something has to be done. It’s not only cars, there
are often trucks stopped while trying to turn into Wayby Valley Rd to go to the quarry."

Wharehine Group managing director Steve Dodd agrees lanes with a right-hand turn bay would be useful. Company trucks regularly travel to the quarry.

"There have been two other crashes as well as this one since the November death," says Ms Street. "Not all crashes are serious or get reported.

"We often hear small bangs as vehicles get clipped, but only go down to the intersection now to help if it sounds serious."

Ms Street says a roundabout is needed, similar to the one at the Ruakaka turnoff from SH1.

The intersection is also the pick-up point for rubbish from Wayby Station Rd residents, and that sees cars stopped at the intersection dropping off bags as well as rubbish trucks stopping to pick them up.

Another local, Kevin Beecher, says he knows the intersection well having been a grader driver in the area.

He believes the positioning of the 100kmh signs just before the intersection for traffic heading north exacerbate the problem.

The speed changes with motorists coming out of the 80km Dome Valley section of SH1, and overtaking lanes are positioned just beyond the intersection.

"Traffic is speeding up coming up to the intersection when it should be slowing down," says Mr Beecher.

NZ Transport Agency Auckland-Northland state highway manager Tommy Parker says the agency has just finished an investigation into the intersection.

The preferred option for changes is widening the road at the intersection to provide for a right-hand turn into Wayby Valley Rd.

But because there is no funding for the project, Mr Parker says an application has to be submitted to the Auckland Regional Transport Authority to bring forward the $1.5 million project.

Mr Parker hopes to learn by the end of March if the application is successful.

- © Fairfax NZ News