The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is working with key stakeholders to reduce congestion around the Dundas Street bridge due to works on the Leith Flood Protection Scheme

Traffic volume around the Dundas Street works is high due to the large number of roadworks and construction projects being undertaken in the area. The projects include the final works to improve the Leith River’s ability to cope in times of flood.

Congestion has been magnified with University and Polytech students also arriving in the city. However, the ORC and DCC are looking closely at ways to reduce traffic congestion over the next six months in the following ways:

1. Detouring the No. 14 (City to Port Chalmers) and No. 63 (Balaclava – City – Logan Park) buses; they are now travelling directly along Albany Street to and from Anzac Avenue instead of using Clyde Street and Union Street East. The DCC has also assisted by placing two temporary bus stops on Albany Street near the Uniprint Building.

2. The ORC is working closely with the DCC to trial a roundabout at the Clyde-Albany Street intersection; you will see this put in place in the next week, weather permitting. This forms part of the traffic management plan for the Dundas St bridge closure.
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Gavin Palmer, Director Engineering, Hazards and Science at ORC says, “This is a really good example of the ORC and DCC connecting and working together in response to community feedback. The last thing either council wants is to see any accidents or pedestrians being at risk of injury. We will continue to work with DCC to monitor and look at ways we can protect the community from harm and ease congestion in this area.”

ORC also advises members of the public to plan your journey in advance, expect your journey in and around this area to take longer than usual and avoid it when possible to help ease congestion.

The Dundas St bridge works are part of a larger flood protection scheme to reduce the risk and impact of serious flooding in the Dunedin area. With excavation on both sides of the bridge and load limits in place while works are carried out, the bridge cannot be opened to vehicles or pedestrians at any time now that the works have commenced, as is standard work site safety practice.

The project has been streamlined to ensure minimal disruption to the public but, because of the complex nature of working on a riverbed, it does take some time. The ORC appreciates your patience while works are carried out to improve the safety of our community.

For more information about the Leith Flood Protection Scheme go to www.orc.govt.nz/leithfloodprotectionscheme.

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