2.16 - Western Bay of Plenty District Council

16. Traffic Islands andRoad Markings2 - 16

TRAFFIC ISLANDS AND ROAD MARKINGSExecutive SummarySection Two – Policy BackgroundTraffic islands and road markings are important mechanisms for controlling traffic.Pavement marking can increase traffic capacity, improve safety and contribute to the orderlyuse of the road. Raised traffic islands may be used to channelise streams of traffic andprovide refuge for pedestrians crossing roads. Pavement markings are also used tosupplement some types of traffic signs.Council requires a policy to provide guidance to Staff and Service Providers, to ensure thatall traffic islands and road markings in new and existing roads are enforceable and are incompliance with the Traffic Regulations 1976.Council sets standards for road markings and traffic islands in new developments throughthe Subdivision and Development Code of Practice. Installation of satisfactory trafficislands and road markings is the responsibility of the consent holder/developer.The provision and maintenance of traffic islands and road markings on existing roads is theresponsibility of Service Providers, under delegated authority from Council. The level ofdelegation is specified in contract documentation with the Service Provider.This report and attached policy document has identified the following:• Certain regulatory road markings require formal adoption through a Council bylaw orresolution before they are enforceable under the Traffic Regulations 1976. It isrecommended that these types of markings be included within a new Roads and TrafficBylaw for the District.• All Council bylaws (and any previous resolutions) relating to road markings thatregulate, prohibit or control traffic movements should be documented in a rapid recalldatabase for ease of reference and enforcement.• Council’s Code of Practice (Section 8.4(b)) references an outdated edition of the Manualof Traffic Signs and Markings (MOTSAM), and an outdated version of the Transit NZ-P/12 Specification for Pavement Markings. It is recommended that this be amended atthe time of the next Code of Practice review.16.1. PurposeThis report and attached policy document are written to provide guidance to subdividers,Council Staff and Service Providers, and aims to ensure that all traffic islands and roadmarkings in the Western BOP Roading Network are designed, installed and maintained incompliance with the Traffic Regulations 1976, and all other relevant legislation.This report also investigates enforcement issues with regard to those road markings thatregulate, control or prohibit vehicular movements.Roading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 1 of 8FEBRUARY 2003

Section Two – Policy BackgroundPolicy RequirementsThe attached policy is required to ensure that all Council Staff, Service Providers andsubdividers are provided with clear guidance on design and enforcement requirements fortraffic islands and road markings.16.2 BackgroundAll traffic islands and road markings must comply with the Traffic Regulations 1976, and itsamendments. The provision of complying traffic islands and road markings for newdevelopments is the responsibility of the consent holder/developer (Section 8.4 Subdivisionand Development Code of Practice). The provision of complying traffic islands and roadmarkings on existing road is the responsibility of Service Providers, under delegatedauthority from Council.Specifications for new traffic islands and road markings are controlled through theSubdivision and Development Code of Practice. There is no Council policy givingspecifications for the maintenance of existing traffic islands and road markings.Certain types of road markings require formal adoption through a Council bylaw orresolution before they are enforceable under the Traffic Regulations 1976. These types ofmarkings are listed in section 2.1.2 of this report. Council is given the mandate to draftbylaws regulating the use of roads in the District under Section 72 of the Transport Act1962.IssueCode of PracticeSection 8.4(b) of Council’s Subdivision and Development Code of Practice 2001 refers tospecific, dated versions of the MOTSAM Manual and the Transit NZ Specification forPavement Markings. These have both been superseded, as shown in the table below:Document: Replaced by: Significance:MOTSAM Edition 3,1995TNZ Specification forPavement Markings:April 1994MOTSAM Edition 4,1998TNZ Specification forPavement Markings:2001Between 1995 and 1998, the followingsections of the Traffic Regulations relatingto traffic islands and road markings wereamended:S. 106(5) to 106(7) on 1/1/1997S. 106A on 1/1/1997S. 109(1) on 20/1/1995The entire Specification Document wasreplaced.Roading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 2 of 8FEBRUARY 2003

Section Two – Policy BackgroundIt is recommended that at the time of the next Code of Practice review, the Code be amendedto make reference to the most recent editions and “any subsequent edition” of the abovedocuments.Enforcement of Road MarkingsUnder the Traffic Regulations, Council is responsible for ensuring pavement markings arebacked by any necessary formal authorisation procedures.47 Formal authorisation (such asa bylaw or Council resolution) is required for the following types of road markings to beenforceable.The discipline of a Bylaw, however, brings about a higher level of quality in process.Special VehiclesThese markings are used where Council has restricted parking to a certain class of vehicle.These markings should only be used in conjunction with appropriate regulatory signs, asdescribed in the MOTSAM Manual:• Taxi Stands• Bus Stops• Loading Zones• Motorcycle Parks• Bicycle Stands• Disabled Parking Spaces• Cycle LanesStopping and Parking RestrictionsThese markings are used in areas where Council has formally restricted the stopping andstanding of all vehicle types:• No Stopping Lines (broken yellow lines)• Parking AreasOther• Pedestrian crossings and fire hydrants also requires special authorisation or roadmarkings:• Pedestrian Crossings in areas where the speed limit exceeds 50km/h require thewritten consent of the Director of the Land Transport Safety Authority.47 Regulations 35, 108 and 109 Traffic Regulations 1976.Roading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 3 of 8FEBRUARY 2003

Section Two – Policy Background• Every Local Authority is required by law to indicate the position of fire hydrants byconspicuous marks or notices. 4816.3 LegislationTraffic Regulations, Local Government Act, Transport ActLegislation relating to traffic islands and road markings is contained in the TrafficRegulations 1976, Local Government Act 1974, Land Transport Act 1998 and the TransportAct 1962. Relevant legislation is included in Appendix 2.16A.Subdivision and Development Code Of PracticeSection 8.4 (Road Marking) of the Code states:(a) Where road marking and signage are required as an integral part of the roadingfunction, it is the consent holders responsibility to provide these facilities. Such roadmarking and signage shall be detailed and installed in accordance with the Councils“Traffic Services Guidelines”. See Appendix II(b) As part of the engineering plan approval, satisfactory design drawings for signs androad markings are to be prepared in accordance with the following documents:• WBOPDC Traffic Services Guidelines (See Appendix II)• Manual of Traffic Signs and Markings (TNZ/LTSA) Part I and II Traffic SignsEdition 3, 1995 (MOTSAM)• Transit NZ-P/12, Specification for Pavement Markings: April 1994(c)Rural Line Marking(i) For carriageways less than 5.5m wide no centreline is required.(ii) For carriageways less than 6.6m wide no edgelines or sealed shoulders arerequired(iii) For various lane widths the following dimensions are required.Traffic Lane Width Shoulder WidthTotal CarriagewayWidths2.75m 0.3 to 0.5m 6.1m to 6.5m3.0m 0.5m 7.0m3.5m 0.5m 8.0m3.5m (state 0.9m to 2.2m 8.8m to 11.4mhighway)Appendix II of the Code; “Traffic Services Guidelines” contains specifications for trafficislands, and further specifications for road markings.48 MOTSAM Manual; Part II: Markings, 1997, Section 4-40.Roading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 4 of 8FEBRUARY 2003

Section Two – Policy BackgroundDistrict Plan“18.2.1 Objectives(a)(b)(c)A safe and efficient State highway and District roading network.Traffic and pedestrian safety on all sitesMinimisation of congestion from on-street parking and loading.18.2.2 Policies(c) Activities should be established and operate in a manner which ensures safe andeffective on-site vehicle parking, manoeuvring and access and pedestrian access.”BylawsThe Western BOP District Council Consolidated Bylaw 1996 does not contain any bylawsrelating to traffic islands or road marking, with the exception of the Borough of Te PukeTraffic Bylaw 1987, which lists road markings within a small area of central Te Puke. 3.5Summary Legal FrameworkSummary Legal FrameworkLegal Framework for Road MarkingIn summary, standards for road marking are governed by the Traffic Regulations 1976.Certain types of road markings require the formalisation of a Council Bylaw or Resolutionin order to be enforceable.The Transport Act 1962 gives Council the mandate to make bylaws to prohibit, restrict orcontrol traffic within the District. Section 2.1.2 of this report lists the types of roadmarkings that require formalisation by either:(a)(b)(c)A Bylaw with attached schedule detailing the locations of each marking; orA Council Resolution detailing the location of each marking.Appropriately authorised traffic signs (for example, pavement markings delineating aarea reserved as a bus stop used in conjunction with appropriately authorised RP-5Bus Stop signs).Council requires all road markings in new developments to conform to specifications inAppendix II “Traffic Services Guidelines” of the Code of Practice, and also to industrystandards published by the LTSA and Transit.There is no Council policy governing maintenance standards for existing road markings.Roading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 5 of 8FEBRUARY 2003

Section Two – Policy BackgroundLegal Framework for Traffic IslandsSection 104 of the Traffic Regulations relates to traffic islands. The section contains nostandards for the dimensions or placement of traffic islands, but it does give requirementsfor signage, road markings, studs and night time illumination around traffic islands.Specifications for new traffic islands are controlled through Councils “Traffic ServicesGuidelines” in Appendix II of the Code of Practice. Adherence to the Code of Practice issufficient to ensure that traffic islands in new developments comply with the requirements ofthe Traffic Regulations 1976.However, there is no current Council policy to ensure that maintenance standards forexisting traffic islands comply with the requirements of the Traffic Regulations.16.4. Current PolicyThere is no current Council policy relating to traffic islands or road markings.16.5 Financial ImpactCouncil may expose itself to liability risks if it chooses to allow certain road markings, suchas those delineating No Stopping and Loading Zones and Cycle Lanes to be painted onto theroad surface without the backing of formal authorisation procedures. It is thereforerecommended that Council implement a Roads and Traffic Bylaw to formally authorise thetypes of markings listed in Section 2.1.2 of this report.The largest cost associated with the passing of a Roads and Traffic Bylaw will be thecataloguing of road markings throughout the District. Most of the information that will beneeded is accessible through the RAMM database. However, it is recommended thatCouncil also undertake a physical survey and confirmation of road marking locations priorto drafting the Bylaw. It is expected that this work would require significant time and staffresources.Once a Roads and Traffic Bylaw, with attached schedule detailing the locations of existingroad markings, is in place the costs of undertaking a yearly inspection and update of newmarkings is expected to be minimal.16.6 Other ConsiderationsDatabaseFor those types of road markings that require a Council Resolution, adoption or Bylaw tobecome enforceable, the process of adoption should be documented, and should be stored ina rapid access database, so that the relevant bylaw, resolution or adoption can be readilyaccessed when necessary.Roading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 6 of 8FEBRUARY 2003

Section Two – Policy BackgroundState HighwaysTraffic islands and road markings on State Highways are under the control of Transit NewZealand, unless otherwise delegated under the Transit Act S.62.Section 7.4.19 of Transfund’s Programme and Funding Manual July 1998 (sealed sideroads) states the following:“The maintenance of the carriageway of a local road intersecting a state highway for thedistance of ten metres from the limit line position shall be a charge against the statehighway programme. The maintenance includes:…• Maintenance of regulatory signs associated with the intersection;• Maintenance of pavement marking related to traffic control of the intersection; and• Maintenance of raised traffic islands related to the traffic control of the intersection.”Section 7.4.19 (unsealed side roads) states:“The maintenance of the carriageway of a local road intersecting a state highway for adistance of ten metres from the limit line position or the end of seal, whichever is the lesser,shall be a charge against the state highway programme. This maintenance includes:…• Maintenance of regulatory signs associated with the intersection; and• Maintenance of pavement marking related to traffic control of the intersection wherethese are appropriate.”DelegationCouncil has the power to engage any person or organisation in order to carry out works andperform its functions (S247D LGA).Section 35(c) of the Resource Management Act 1991 requires Council to monitor theexercise of any functions, powers or duties delegated by it.16.7 Consultation and CommunicationThe following people were consulted in the preparation of this report:Diane Thompson:Alister McCaw:Barry Reid:Bill Hooper:Bob Hopkins:Colin Waite:Martin Cole:Malcolm Drysdale:Rodney Nicholas:Secretary: NZ Association Parking & Enforcement AuthoritiesRoading Manager: WBOP District CouncilEnforcement Officer: Tauranga District CouncilTeam Leader Compliance: WBOP District CouncilRoading Engineer: Taupo District CouncilManager Traffic and Parking: Waitakeri City CouncilExecutive Officer: Council Services: WBOP District CouncilPlanning and Safety Engineer: Opus International ConsultantsWBOPDC Operations Manager: Opus International ConsultantsRoading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 7 of 8FEBRUARY 2003

Section Two – Policy Background16.8 ConclusionThere is a need for a Roads and Traffic Bylaw, to enable enforcement of certain types ofregulatory road markings under the Traffic Regulations 1976. A rapid recall database of allCouncil decisions relating to road markings would facilitate enforcement.Standards for traffic islands and road markings in new developments are controlled throughthe Subdivision and Development Code of Practice. However, the Code of Practicereferences out-dated versions of industry standards, and requires amendment at the time ofthe next Code of Practice review.There is no current Council Policy governing maintenance standards for existing trafficislands and road markings. There is a need for a Council policy to ensure that all trafficislands and road markings are maintained in compliance with the requirements of the TrafficRegulations.16.9. RecommendationsIt is recommended that:• A Roads and Traffic Bylaw be adopted by Council, which will enable enforcement ofroad markings in the District.• All Council decisions relating to road markings be stored in a rapid recall database, forease of reference and enforcement.• Future editions of Council’s Subdivision and Development Code of Practice beamended to refer to “the most recent version of” the Manual of Traffic Signs andMarkings (MOTSAM) and “the most recent version of” the Transit NZ-P/12,Specification for Pavement Markings.Roading Network Control Manual Section 2 - 16 Page 8 of 8FEBRUARY 2003