Million dollar project
makes students safer

11 February 2011. Takapuna Normal Intermediate School’s brand new entrance is nearly complete, forming part of a million dollar project that will improve road safety for the thousands of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists using Northcote Road every day.

The almost-finished works have redesigned the Northcote Road entrances of both Takapuna Normal Intermediate School and Smales Farm. Takapuna Normal Intermediate Principal Owen Alexander says his school is awarding the project a ‘ten out of ten’ mark.

“One of the wonderful things about this project is that it improves the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and cars,” he says.

“We are very proud of our new entrance here, which makes it much safer for students arriving and leaving on foot, safer for our school buses, and safer for parents picking up and dropping off children.”

Takapuna Normal Intermediate has 620 students aged between 11 and 13, with five other schools located within a one kilometre radius. Students from Westlake, Rosmini College and Carmel College travel through Northcote Road to get to and from school. As well, the road is a main arterial route to get onto the motorway for travel both North and South.

Owen Alexander says the school has faced continuing challenges over the last ten years as traffic volumes have increased.

“We have had students hit by cars when leaving school,” he says.

“This project gives us a controlled crossing right outside the school. There’s more room for buses inside the school’s bus bay, which means less buses waiting outside in the traffic flow. It’s so much safer to get students onto their buses inside the school grounds. Our parking is also configured a lot better.

“Students entering the school on foot no longer have to walk through the car park and bus stops. Dedicated pedestrian ways keep people and vehicles separate.

“Vehicles leaving our school now have a choice of two lanes, one lane with dedicated traffic lights for a right turn, and a separate lane for a free left turn. There used to be only one exit lane whether you were turning left or right, which used to hold up buses at peak times.”

Owen Alexander says designing the works was a complex problem for traffic planners because of traffic volumes and the different kinds of road users.

“My sincere thanks to the many people who have worked on this project. They have successfully delivered an outcome that looks superb and works for everyone. It’s been about safety first, then aesthetics. I’d especially like to thank the Smale family for making sure these priorities were uppermost in all planning stages. It’s been a great collaboration with Smales Farm.”

Funding for the project was provided by Smales Farm.