The consultation was due to close on Friday 27 August 2021, but people will now have until Sunday 19 September 2021 to have their say on the proposed speed changes and safety infrastructure improvements for SH2 between Masterton and Featherston.

The consultation has been widely advertised and people have been able to make submissions via several different channels, including online, email and post. Printed consultation booklets with submission forms have been available at council offices and libraries.

However, a distribution error has meant that the printed consultation booklets were not delivered to letterboxes in some parts of the community as planned.

“Waka Kotahi is pleased with the level of engagement and the number of submissions we’ve received so far, but it’s important to us that everyone has the opportunity to have their say,” Director of Regional Relationships Emma Speight says.

“As we are at Alert Level 4, we are currently unable to print more booklets and have them delivered to the addresses that have not received them. Therefore, we are encouraging everyone who may have been waiting on the booklets to be delivered to now make their submission online or via email.

“We also know that the speed review may not be top of mind under the current circumstances, so we’re hoping that extending the consultation period will give people who haven’t already submitted a chance to provide more considered feedback that will help us finalise our decisions.

“If the alert level changes with reasonable time left in the consultation period, we will look to reprint the booklets and have them redistributed to those letterboxes that haven’t received them.”

Waka Kotahi will be increasing promotion of the consultation online to ensure that it reaches as many people as possible.

The extension of the consultation period is not expected to impact on the timeframes for construction of the safety infrastructure improvements, which is still subject to funding, or on any possible speed limit changes.

People who have not yet had their say on the SH2 Wairarapa improvements and wish to do so, should visit the project page.

SH2 Wairarapa highway improvements project page

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/wellington
• Facebook: facebook.com/nztawgtn
• Twitter: twitter.com/nztawgtn
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/wellington
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Major project work is not seen as an essential service and has been stood down while New Zealand is at Alert Level 4, as has non-essential maintenance activities.

“Maintenance activities are permitted only if they address immediate risks to safety, property or the environment and/or for nationally important infrastructure,” Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations Jaclyn Hankin says.

“Services to maintain and protect worksites to ensure they remain safe, like traffic management and environmental controls, can continue. We will monitor traffic management plans and environmental risks to protect each worksite and make sure all sites are safe for people who have to travel.

“Waka Kotahi will ensure that all temporarily closed worksites on our state highways remain safe for people using the roads, and appropriate traffic management measures will be in place.”

In Gisborne these sites include:

• State Highway 35 resilience and passing opportunities projects
  • Five native revegetation sites that were underway
• State Highway 2 passing opportunities project
  • Wharerata lookout slow vehicle bay extension
  • Maraenui layby

In Hawke’s Bay these sites include:

• State Highway 2 College Road to Silverstream realignment
• State Highway 2 Waipukurau to Waipawa shared path
• State Highway 2 Raupunga Bluffs enhanced resilience
• State Highway 2 Tahaenui bridge widening
• State Highway 5 safety improvements.

Ms Hankin asks people to please be patient and respectful to roadworkers and look out for their safety and wellbeing.

“If you see contractors out on the roads during the lockdown period, please bear in mind that they are carrying out essential work to keep us all safe.

“Remember to comply with any temporary speed reductions through roadworks to keep workers and other people on the road safe.

“People should only be heading out for essential supplies or services, otherwise, please stay safe and stay home. If you must drive to access essential supplies or services please take care, drive to the conditions and adhere to the speed limits.”

Waka Kotahi is also encouraging people to call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS to report any urgent safety issues on the state highway network.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/hawkes-bay
• Facebook: facebook.com/WakaKotahiHBG
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiCNI
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/hawkes-bay
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations Rob Campbell says major project work is not seen as an essential service and has been stood down while New Zealand is at Alert Level 4, as has non-essential maintenance activities.

“Maintenance activities are allowed only if they address immediate risks to safety, property or the environment and/or for nationally important infrastructure.

“Services to maintain and protect worksites to ensure they are safe can continue and this includes things like traffic management and environmental controls. We will continue to manage and monitor environmental risks and traffic management plans to protect each worksite and make sure all sites are safe for the travelling public.

“Waka Kotahi will ensure that all temporarily closed worksites on the state highway network remain safe for road users, and appropriate traffic management measures will be in place.”

In the Waikato these sites include:

• Waikato Expressway, Hamilton section
• State Highway 3, Awakino Tunnel Bypass project
• State Highway 25, Hikaui Bridge, Coromandel
• State Highway 27, Mangawhero Bridge replacement
• State Highway 30, Camp Whakamaru resilience works
• State Highway 41, Hohotaka resilience works

In the Bay of Plenty these sites include:

• State Highway 2, Waihī to Ōmokoroa safety improvements project
• State Highway 2, Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki safety improvements project
• State Highway 2/State Highway 29A, Baypark to Bayfair Link project
• State Highway 5 Tarukenga to Ngongotahā safety and SH5/State Highway 36 roundabout improvements project
• State Highway 30/Te Ngae Road Rotorua Eastern Corridor Stage One project

Planning and administrative support work will continue remotely where possible, in preparation for returning to work under the various alert levels.

Mr Campbell asks people to be patient and respectful to roadworkers and look out for their safety and wellbeing.

“If you see contractors out on the roads during the shutdown period please remember that they are carrying out essential work to keep us all safe.

“If you are using the roads during this period remember to comply with any temporary speed reductions through roadworks to keep workers safe.

“Only head out for essential supplies or services, otherwise, please stay safe, and stay home. If you must drive to access essential supplies or services please take care, drive to the conditions and obey the speed limits.”

People are also encouraged to call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS to report any urgent safety issues on the state highway network.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWaiBP
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Clean-up is taking longer than usual, as the molasses is incredibly sticky. Safety is our top priority and there is currently a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place, with traffic control staff on-site 24/7 to monitor the area.

A Stop/Go will be in place from 6pm this evening to allow contractors to waterblast the road. While our contractors will endeavour to finish the clean-up tonight, they may need to return to the site tomorrow (Monday) night to undertake further waterblasting.

Under the current nationwide COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown, people should only be travelling to access or provide essential supplies or services, and anyone who is using this road is asked to take care, plan ahead, adhere to the temporary speed limits and follow the directions of traffic management staff and signage.

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWaiBP
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)