Safety improvements to begin at Cranford Street and McFaddens Road

The Christchurch City Council has received reports of a safety issue at the pedestrian crossing on Cranford Street, where drivers turning left out of McFaddens Road (heading north) sometimes fail to notice the red traffic signals while attempting to find a gap in traffic. 

To address this, the Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board has approved the installation of safety measures, including a safe speed platform in advance of the pedestrian crossing. These will help slow traffic down, giving drivers more time to notice red signals and stop safely, significantly reducing the risk of accidents for people using the crossing. 

Several other solutions were considered, including full signalisation at the intersection. However, the approved safety treatments offer the most cost-effective and efficient way to resolve the issue while maintaining the flow of traffic through this busy area. 

This work has been timed for the school holidays to take advantage of quieter traffic volumes. A 24/7 road closure will be in place on McFaddens Road at the intersection with Cranford Street between Monday 20 January and Tuesday 28 January 2025. A lane drop will be in place on Cranford Street, at the pedestrian crossing. 

On the nights of Thursday 23 January and Sunday 26 January, there will be no access to northbound traffic (heading towards the Christchurch Northern Corridor) between Innes Road and the Cranford Street roundabout between 11pm and 6am on these two nights. 

Detours will be clearly signposted, and businesses in the area will remain open as usual, with pedestrian access available. On-street parking near the work site will be temporarily unavailable. 

The installation of these safety measures will make it safer for the community, particularly for people heading to school, preschool, or the local shops. 

For more information please visit the project page.