A few years ago, we were blessed with the extension of the Waikato Expressway which relieved Cambridge of a high number of mainstream vehicles including many large trucks.
Peter Carr
Retailers have benefitted enormously as a result with an influx of new, financially loaded, visitors spending in their establishments.
Well, unless you do something about it, your happy and quiet days are over. A fruit grower is leasing a large area of (mainly sand formed) land for a period of up to 30 years to a major quarrying company.
Large truck and trailer units will be leaving from just south of the golf course in the main to head northwards – which is where the product is needed.
These units, weighing in the region of 40 tonnes when loaded, will be crawling through the town paralysing pinch points at the low bridge roundabout, the hill up past Countdown, the roundabout at the top by the Town Hall and the roundabout at St Andrews Church.
Victoria Road traffic entering the St Andrew’s Roundabout from Hautapu
And do not forget that they will return empty for another load.
That is 400 movements a day – yes you read that correctly. Or, during the day at a rate of a truck every 1 minute 39 seconds.
Alternatives such as the turn-round at Hydro Road and the possibility of another access to the Expressway are pipe dreams that the truck operators will just ignore. The landowner and his client the quarry operators have no control of the trucks.
A truck utilises the recently completed turnaround at the intersection of State Highway 1 and Hydro Road. Photo: Supplied.
So, danger looms ahead. Carbon excesses in the atmosphere will abound. Road surfaces will be ruined especially on the hill areas.
There are those who will beat the drum in the interest of the environment and the long-tailed bat.
Good luck to them in their earnest endeavours but the Waipa District Council – who have asked for comments – will not be swayed by their arguments.
Don’t expect your local Waipa District Council to rush to your aid. They are intent on swallowing up any and all roading matters into an everlasting discussion group that will take years to provide sound results – if any.
Likewise, don’t expect your local elected councillors to gallop in to help you – other than wringing their hands. One of them is intent on leaving the council, one does not live or work in Cambridge and the effectiveness of another has been questioned.
You have until late October to be make effective and well pointed comments on the forthcoming degradation of your lovely town, the effect on road safety, the myriad school-bound children and the atmospheric filth and associated diesel laden noise that will spread throughout the CBD.
And the queue at the Expressway junction southbound where the traffic lights are very restrictive, will just grow exponentially.
Whatever your concerns the council needs to hear from you as soon as possible. This is your town, your livelihood, your standard of living. Further down track any lack of action will only bring sadness. You only have one shot at this.
Peak time just after 5pm at the southern end of the Waikato Expressway – while Cambridge is congested.
