A NewsTalkZB article has highlighted a dangerous level crossing in Dannevirke at the corner of Rawhiti Street and State Highway 1. Although the article was concerned with bad driver behaviour, it is noted that the intersection with a railway crossing through one side of creates very typical safety problems related to the presence of the railway crossing. As is so typically the case, the issues of this crossing have been effectively ignored by the local council as far as the railway is concerned. There are 7 trains daily and about 1000 vehicles on the road over this crossing.

Clearly identifiable safety issues at this intersection-crossing are likely to include the following:

• There is likely to be insufficient stacking distance for long trucks from Rawhiti Street that are waiting to turn in either direction onto State Highway 1.
• Right turning traffic from SH1 onto Rawhiti Street (i.e. coming from the north) risks colliding with an approaching train on the crossing due to the high driver workload when making the right turn, as there is insufficient space in which to stop after completing the right turn if a train is closely approaching the crossing.

The dangers of having a level crossing too close to an intersection are frequently highlighted in TAIC’s reports on level crossing accidents.