A busy intersection near Ōmokoroa Point School will be made safer for tamariki walking, scootering and biking to school, after two concerned Year 8 students worked with the council on a solution.

Student leaders Karli Steenberg and Maia Groucott gave a presentation to Western Bay of Plenty District Council, asking for a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Hamurana Rd and Tralee St, due to increasing road and foot traffic in the area.

Following the meeting, council project engineer transportation, Sam Prendergast, and road safety engineer, Ashley Hall, met on-site with Karli and Maia and principal Sandra Portegys to discuss what improvements could be made.

Due to visibility issues, a designated pedestrian crossing wasn’t considered suitable, however council decided to install a raised pedestrian platform to help slow traffic speeds, and a refuge island wide enough for pedestrians and cyclists as they cross Tralee St. The students were also asked to create their own signs to help spread the road safety message.

“Unfortunately, due to the existing geometry of the intersection, it was difficult to place a designated pedestrian crossing across Tralee Street, at a location where it would be utilised efficiently,” Hall said.

“We believe that the raised table and the central refuge will go a long way towards enhancing road user safety in the area.”

Karli, the school’s Feet First coordinator, said: “It’s not the easiest spot to put a crossing but the Council has some good ideas of how to slow down traffic”.

Educating students about how to cross the road safely was also important, Maia said.

“We need to let all the kids know to go slower and give way to cars. I think it’s time for a new way to cross for the kids at our school, and the community.”

Hall thanked Karli and Maia for their research and bringing the safety issue to council’s attention.

“You thought out all the issues really well and together we came up with some great solutions that we can implement to create a safer environment for crossing the road.”

Work on the pedestrian platform and refuge island is expected to start this school term, coinciding with scheduled resealing of the intersection.