Monthly Archives: November 2021

Night works completed on SH25 Hikuai River bridge

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The bridge will have additional asphalt surfacing laid, which is scheduled to take place tomorrow (Wednesday). Traffic will be stopped in both directions for up to half an hour at a time between 9:15am and 4pm. Contractors will ensure the bridge is open for traffic leaving Tairua after school finishes around 3pm. This work is weather dependent and will likely be postponed in the event of rain.

The night work on the bridge this week has been to install plates to protect the deck surface. As part of this process it has been discovered additional plates beyond what was initially expected will be required to maintain the deck surface.

This means additional plates will need to be sourced and prepared, therefore additional night closures will be required on the Hikuai River Bridge in December. Details on this will be shared with the community once they have been confirmed. 

There is no local detour around the Hikuai River Bridge, with the only available alternative route using SH25 and State Highway 25A around the Coromandel Peninsula and motorists are advised to plan ahead and expect delays.

The Hikuai River bridge requires a full deck replacement and this is expected to be done in 2022.

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SH1 Te Pōporo overnight roadworks

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Stop/Go traffic management will be in place from 7pm until 5am with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit in place to allow contractors to complete the asphalt surface repairs safely and effectively. 

These works are part of the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency spring/summer road maintenance programme, which will see repairs and resurfacing carried out on state highways across the Waikato.

Road users are asked to pay attention to instructions from the crew on site.

This work is weather dependent. Visit the interactive Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for the latest information on roadworks, traffic, road closures and detours to help plan your trip.

Journey Planner

Waka Kotahi thanks road users for their patience while we carry out these important works.

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Serious crash, SH 2 West, Whakatāne

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District:

Bay of Plenty

Police are responding to a report of a serious crash on SH 2 West, Whakatāne.

The crash is east of Pikowai Road and it is understood a vehicle is on fire.  

Fire and Emergency New Zealand are also in attendence.

Diversions are being put in place at the Matatā township and at Old Coach Road. 

Motorist are asked to please avoid the area, or seek alternative routes if possible. 

More information will be provided when available. 

Ends

Issued by Police Media Centre

 

 

‘Drive the highway’ at Woodville Library

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Mayor Tracey Collis drives the virtual new highway.

The simulator is the same as the popular ‘Drive the Highway’ at Te Ahu a Turanga visitor centre in Ashhurst, which is temporarily closed due to COVID-19. 

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Owner Interface Manager, Grant Kauri, says keeping the community engaged and informed continues to be important, despite challenges presented by COVID-19.

“We appreciate the ongoing public interest in the project and recognise how important it is, especially for local communities. The driving simulator has been popular at the visitor centre in Ashhurst and it’s great to be able to set this up in Tararua so communities on both sides of the ranges can have a go.

“We’re grateful to Tararua District Council for their support in hosting the driving simulator in Woodville. The landscape is changing rapidly at the Woodville end of the highway alignment and the driving simulator will help people to visualise the end result.”

Taking the first drive on the simulator was Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis, who says, “I would like to encourage people to come and see what the new highway will look like. The driving simulator gives a great impression of what to expect, and to get a feel for the transformation that will occur as a result of having a safe and resilient road, and the wealth of opportunity for employment, growth and business the new highway will create.”

There are also posters, flyers and the latest project newsletter at the library. Project newsletters are available at the Ashhurst Library and on the project website.

Te Ahu a Turanga project page

The $620 million Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway is one of the largest transport projects in the country and is now in its second earthworks season. The highway is expected to be completed in December 2024.

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Let’s make our speed limits safer – new advertising campaign launches to reinforce importance of safe speeds

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Under the Road to Zero strategy, Waka Kotahi and local authorities are progressing with setting safer speed limits to reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured on roads in Aotearoa. The campaign aims to ensure people understand the reasoning behind the proposals for change.

Road to Zero

“Speed continues to be a major safety issue on our roads, with 600 people per year being killed or seriously injured in speed-related crashes,” says Kane Patena, Director of Land Transport.

“While speed is often not the only factor contributing to a crash, it’s a crucial factor in determining the severity of every crash. It can be the difference between being seriously injured or killed in a crash, or walking away unharmed.”

Waka Kotahi is committed to Vision Zero, a vision for Aotearoa New Zealand where no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads. Vision Zero is based on the safe system approach, which recognises that people make mistakes and are vulnerable in a crash. A Safe System requires a mix of solutions that all combine to keep people safe, including  safer roads and roadsides, safer vehicles, safer road use, and safer speeds.

“We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely. Mistakes are inevitable, but deaths and serious injuries from road crashes are not. To save lives and prevent serious injuries, we must set safer speed limits.

“We want to help New Zealanders understand why it’s important to ensure speed limits are safe, match the road, and how it’s used. When speeds are safe for the road environment, simple mistakes are much less likely to end in tragedy. The areas surrounding many of our busiest roads have changed significantly since speed limits were originally set. There has been significant growth and development, traffic volumes have increased dramatically, and we’re continuing to use different modes of transport. It’s important that we’re setting the right speed limits to keep everyone safe.”

Safe Limits launched on 29 November on television, radio, video-on-demand and on YouTube. It is also rolling out on digital and social channels.

View the video ad 

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2022 Nissan Altima

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2022 Nissan AltimaWhat kind of car is the 2022 Nissan Altima? What does it compare to? With the Altima, Nissan faces off against other mid-size four-door sedans like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Sonata. Is the 2022 Nissan Altima a good car? The value is strong with this one, and it’s a safety star. Mild performance and unspectacular features…

2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS

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2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS first drive (EQS 450+)What kind of car is the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS? What does it compare to? Mercedes swings big with the EQS electric vehicle that’s billed as the eventual successor to the ultra-posh S-Class sedan, with a fully electric powertrain and a futuristic interior. Rivals at this level of electric luxury (and price) are few, and include the Lucid Air…

Crash, SH 1 Kaikoura

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District:

Tasman

State Highway 1 is blocked at Kekerengu, north of Kaikoura, after a ute and a tanker collided.

It happened around 11:10am at the Ellerton Railway Overbridge.

Fortunately, there are no injuries of note.

However, the road is blocked and is likely to remain so for several hours until the heavy vehicles can be removed.

Motorists are asked to avoid travel as there are no suitable diversions.

ENDS

 

 

Plan for delays this weekend south of Nelson, afternoons may be better time to travel through Richmond

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Highway sealing and widening work is needed ahead of the installation of median flexible safety barriers next year, to help prevent head-on crashes.

Work will be underway both Saturday and Sundays, 6 am to 6 pm on the Richmond Deviation. Detours will be in place each day from 6 am until 1 pm on the Deviation, part of SH6, in Tasman District.

The highway will be reduced to a single lane with southbound traffic (towards Richmond) detoured Saturday morning to 1 pm and northbound traffic (towards Nelson) detoured on Sunday at the same time. Crews will re-seal one side of the highway each day, making the most of the summer weather needed for a successful seal. A wide flush centreline is also being installed, increasing the distance between opposing lanes of traffic.

The weekend time has also been chosen as traffic volumes are lower than weekdays, disrupting fewer people.

During the detour periods in each direction, traffic will be diverted onto Salisbury Road, Talbot Street and McGlashen Avenue, says Waka Kotahi Journey Manager Tresca Forrester.

People should be prepared for significant delays all weekend and if possible, arrange essential travel outside the peak hours, says Ms Forrester. Waka Kotahi thanks all cyclists, drivers and people living on the detour route for their patience while this work is underway.

  • Even outside the lane closure times, highway lane widths will be restricted and speeds reduced through the work site.
  • For two days or so after the work is completed, speeds will continue to be lowered to help bed in the seal and avoid flying wet chip.
  • The separated cycle path, part of the Great Taste Trail, will not be affected.
  • If it is wet this weekend, work will move to the following weekend 11 and 12 December.

Detour routes

The detour route on both days will be via Salisbury Road, Talbot Street and McGlashen Avenue for southbound drivers, reverse order for northbound. People should expect this route to be busy given the lead-in to Christmas, particularly while one direction on the Deviation is closed through the morning to 1 pm.

Southbound Saturday detour below (northbound Sunday reverse arrows).

The big picture – safety

The benefits of safety barriers 

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