The Niederer roundabout at the intersection of Fraser Street and Chadwick Road is set to be replaced by traffic lights in the near future.

A petition to be received by Tauranga City Council at today's meeting seeks a ‘safe zone' for pedestrians crossing Fraser Street, near the Chadwick Road intersection.

Traffic lights could replace the roundabout at the intersection of Chadwick and Fraser sooner than anticipated.

The roundabout is currently planned to be replaced by traffic lights in six years' time in 2020/21, but a council report on the petition says the request for a safer crossing is a 'priority”.

And because it's considered a priority, the report recommends adding the crossing to the Minor Safety Works Programme for 2014/2015.

It's an acknowledgement of the increasing traffic volumes along Fraser Street, predicted to continue in the next few years.

It is also a concern for pedestrian safety as the peak hour queues forming along both roads, mean more people cross between queued and slow moving vehicles.

Petitioners say the roundabout is crossed frequently by mothers with children and elderly living in surrounding streets, and are seeking a pedestrian refuge within the island, or a light-controlled crossing.

The Niederer roundabout was constructed in 1989 to address safety concerns in the area at that time. It's named after Eric Niederer, a Tauranga City Councillor from 1968-71, and former chairman of the WBOP Road Safety Council.

Eric was a long-term resident of the area and donated $20,000 towards the roundabout project to improve the safety of the road.

Local residents agreed to name the new roundabout after Eric to acknowledge his commitment to road safety.