Tue, 01 Jun 2004

Urgency of Link Road Highlighted Again!

Friday's road accident north of Waikanae again impacted on Kapiti's growing traffic problems. As State Highway One was blocked for hours to clear wreckage the immediate effect within Kapiti was that the internal traffic movement in the town became grid locked.

"It becomes impossible to move within Kapiti's boundaries let alone venture onto the highway," says Mike Olsen Chairman of local business group Kapiti Business Incorporated. I live toward Otaihanga & had to go home from Coastlands via Raumati Road as Rimu Road was blocked.

"The need for the Western Link Road has never been more urgent. We desperately need an internal traffic link through Kapiti. This was reinforced with people unable to drive from the beach areas towards Coastlands, or from Paraparaumu and Raumati to Waikanae. School children were stranded, workers were kept away from their families, the impact is huge and it has to be addressed now," he said.

It is felt by Kapiti Business Incorporated that often there is little understanding that highway problems quickly become Kapiti's problems when accidents regularly lock up Kapiti local roads. If the Western Link Road concept had been in place, which has been in various plans for over 40 years then the impact would have been substantially less for local traffic.

The urgency and need of the Western Link Road was again emphasized.

ENDS

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