Above-ground works on Queenstown’s Man St, which has seen traffic diverted through Isle and Hay streets for several weeks, should spell the last closure for Lake St.
Queenstown council’s media man Sam White, on behalf of the Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance, says the Man St work should be completed in October or November.
‘‘We’ll be working in pockets along Man St, which should not require the [further] closure of Lake St,’’ he says.
Meantime, Fernhill residents’ frustrations are at boiling point battling traffic snarl-ups.
Acting Fernhill Sunshine Bay Community Association chair Simone Bray says it took her 45 minutes to drive the 3.5km from the Millennium Hotel to her Fernhill home from 2.15pm last Saturday, usually a five-minute trip.
‘‘Normally weekends aren’t that bad, you hang out for the weekends.
“But we had the Peak to Peak race, a junior rugby festival and Winter Pride in town causing the gridlock.”
Last weekend, she feared, wouldn’t be any better with Snow Machine on.
Bray suggests the Alliance should have waited until after the next school holidays, to start the work.
White says ‘‘while we totally understand the impact of the current closure, the need to finish work before Christmas and the peak summer season is paramount’’.
‘‘Given the pavement construction season starts mid-September, we’re working on ground preparations now to maximise this time.’’
White says the Alliance considered suggestions made by the community association to mitigate traffic issues, including temporary traffic
lights on the Camp/Shotover St roundabout and closing two pedestrian crossings on Shotover St, but these weren’t feasible or safe.
However, the light sequencing on Shotover St during peak times has been increased ‘‘which has resulted in less traffic congestion’’.
Last Thursday, after Mountain Scene’s publication, council announced it would temporarily reopen Lake St, to two-way traffic, between Friday morning and this morning, and while it won’t be possible to do that every weekend, it’ll provide updates on its Facebook page every Friday, confirming if Lake St will or won’t open.
