Temporary traffic lights will be installed on a Central Otago bridge over the Christmas and New Year period to help manage the predicted spike in users.
An aerial view of the temporary traffic light management plan at Clyde Bridge, which will be in place over the holiday period. Photo: Supplied / Central Otago District Council
The lights will be set on both approaches to the Clyde Bridge on Earnscleugh Road, operating between 22 December and 10 January.
Cyclists on both the Dunstan Lake Trail and the Otago Central Rail Trail use the Clyde Bridge as well as motorists.
Central Otago District Council roading manager James McCallum said adding the light would help the predicted high numbers of trail users and holiday-goers to negotiate the bridge safely.
"At this stage, it is an effective temporary traffic management measure to help deal with those high volumes we are expecting, given the amount of bike traffic being generated from the Dunstan Lake Trail and the Otago Central Rail Trail, along with the usual amount of holiday makers and locals that use the bridge during that period," he said.
The operation received funding from Waka Kotahi.
McCallum said the council was investigating longer-term, permanent solutions for the increased use of the bridge.
"Depending on usage, the operation may be re-evaluated, and the timeframe extended out accordingly."