UPDATE 2, 4.30pm, Thursday 4 November: State Highway 1 has now reopened between State Highway 29 and Karapiro Road. Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience. UPDATE, 5.10pm, Wednesday 3 November: State Highway 1 is closed between State Highway 29 and Karapiro Road due to multiple fallen trees and will remain closed overnight, as high winds are forecast to continue.  Contractors will remain on-site at the closure cordons. The following detour routes will add 15-20minutes to a journey.  Detours: Southbound traffic use Karapiro Rd then onto Taotaoroa Rd, onto SH29 then back onto SH1. Northbound traffic use SH29 and then left into SH27 then onto SH26 then back on to SH1. Heavy vehicles are advised to use: SH29, SH27, SH26 then back on to SH1. An update is expected around 8am tomorrow. Motorists are advised to check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for the latest updates Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.

Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations Rob Campbell says the MetService has issued a Strong Wind Watch for parts of the Bay of Plenty and Waikato through until tomorrow (Thursday) morning.

“Avoid unnecessary travel and, if you must travel, expect the unexpected and remain alert.

“Drive to the conditions and watch out for fallen trees, branches and downed powerlines. Check your intended route for hazards or disruptions before setting out, using the Waka Kotahi interactive Journey Planner website and remain alert for unreported hazards.”

Journey Planner

High sided vehicles and motorcycles should take particular care in strong winds.

In the Waikato, multiple trees have come down on State Highway 1 at Karapiro, between Keeley’s Reserve and Maungatautari Road, on both sides of the highway. The southbound lane is closed and northbound traffic is down to one lane under Stop/Go traffic management.

Trees are continuing to fall, both onto the highway and within the reserve. Traffic management and maintenance crews are on-site and trees are being removed as quickly as it is possible to do so safely. An arborist is en-route to provide further advice.

Further south, there is also a Strong Wind Watch in place for the Desert Road, and motorists are encouraged to take care, particularly in open, exposed areas.

In the Bay of Plenty, high winds have seen trees and powerlines down and road closures or delays on State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Ranges, on State Highway 30 at Tikitere and on State Highway 35 near Te Kaha and at Torere Beach this morning, with all since reopened.

Mr Campbell asks motorists to be mindful of contractors who could be out clearing hazards off the road, and drive slowly through work sites. Treat all powerlines as live.

“We want to see everyone get home safely. Stay safe and stay alert.”

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

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• 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)

UPDATE 2: Friday 5 November 2021 4.44pm: The builder of Transmission Gully has now advised that these paving works will not take place this weekend. The work scheduled for this weekend will now take place on Friday 12 November and Saturday 13 November. UPDATE 1: Friday 5 November 2021, 3pm: Due to weather, this work has been postponed by one day. It will now take place overnight between 6pm Saturday 6 November and 10am Sunday 7 November. Motorists should plan ahead for delays early on Sunday morning and delay travel until after 10am if possible.

In order to complete such a large amount of road paving, the road layout will be changed and reduced down to one lane in each direction between the following times:

• 6pm, Friday 5 November – 10am, Saturday 6 November
• 6pm, Friday 12 November – 10am, Saturday 13 November

Congestion and delays are anticipated as traffic builds between 8am and 10am on each Saturday morning, so motorists are advised to consider travelling after 10am on these dates, take an alternative route if possible, or just make sure to allow extra time for their journey. 

Waka Kotahi is reminding people who do need to travel through the area during the lane closures to adhere to the posted speed limit, maintain a consistent speed to keep traffic flowing smoothly, and keep a safe following distance.

These works are weather-sensitive and may be postponed. Waka Kotahi will provide an update on our social media channels if there are any changes to the timings.

This paving work is one of many things left to do before the new Transmission Gully motorway can safely and legally open.

As well as finishing works, there are other critical requirements which also need to be met by the Transmission Gully contractor, Wellington Gateway Partnership, and the sub-contractor, CPB HEB Joint Venture, including safety and quality assurance work, and compliance with environmental consent conditions. 

A new opening date for Transmission Gully has not yet been agreed. Waka Kotahi will provide an update to the community as soon as we can.

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

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/wellington
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWgtn
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWgtn
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/wellington
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is formally consulting on proposed new speeds for State Highways 73 and 75, Christchurch to Akaroa from today, 3 November. The highway is in the top 10 per cent in New Zealand where the greatest gains can be made in preventing people being killed or seriously injured in a crash. 

In the last decade there were 739 known crashes on this 84km corridor.*  Nine people were killed and 72 people suffered serious injuries, leaving families, friends and communities grieving and many people with life-long injuries.

During public engagement earlier this year, Waka Kotahi received more than 800 pieces of feedback about how people use the Akaroa highway and their views on current speed limits.

Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships James Caygill thanked everyone who contributed including rūnanga partners, stakeholders and the wider community.

“The speeds we’re proposing aim to address concerns raised earlier this year about traffic speeds past Halswell School and Tai Tapu School, Wairewa Marae, and through townships and in areas where people ride their bikes or walk near the road,” Mr Caygill says.

People were unlikely to be surprised by the proposed 60km/hour safer speed limit between Cooptown and Duvauchelle, he says. But he acknowledges that reducing open road speeds to a maximum of 80km/hour between Halswell and Little River could be unpopular with some road users, while many local people have been asking for a speed reduction for many years.

“The most common type of crash is loss of control, which often comes down to excessive speed. Most crashes – particularly serious injury and fatal crashes – occur where the speed limit is higher,” says Mr Caygill.

“We want everyone who uses our roads to get where they’re going safely and there’s one thing we can do that will make a huge difference immediately – ensure speed limits are safe and right for this road.”

_{*On SH73 and SH75, the Akaroa highway, over the period 2011-2020, data extracted March 2021 from the Crash Analysis System.}

International endorsement for safer speeds

Former Canterbury District Police Commander Dave Cliff, now working for the International Red Cross in Geneva and CEO of its Global Road Safety Partnership, agrees with the proposed lower speed limits for the Akaroa highway.

“Reducing speed limits to those consistent with ‘safe system’ principles is an essential element to reducing the numbers of people being killed and seriously injured in road crashes. 

“As a basic rule of thumb, a 5% decrease in average speed leads to approximately a 10% decrease in all injury crashes and a 20% decrease in fatal crashes.

“Reducing speed limits on the route between Christchurch and Akaroa, because of its winding and undulating nature, is one where speed reduction will unquestionably save lives. As the former Canterbury Police District Commander and having travelled that route so frequently, I know why the existing 100 km/hour speed limit is too high for safe travel.  

“We can’t trade off lives – and in many cases, lifelong disabilities – in order to save a few seconds in travel time.  Not only does speed reduction reduce road trauma, but it also results in significant reductions in CO2 emissions and fuel use and makes a major contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

“When speeds reduce, everyone wins.”

Lyttelton’s state highway

Waka Kotahi is also asking for feedback on State Highway 74, Norwich and Gladstone Quays in Lyttelton. This section of highway has been included in consultation to align with the safer speeds recently set for Lyttelton township by Christchurch City Council.

Banks Peninsula local roads

Christchurch City Council is proposing speed reductions on local side roads adjoining the highway, including the settlements of Duvauchelle and Takamatua.

Council Transport Operations Manager Steffan Thomas says while Waka Kotahi was consulting with the community about new highway speeds for Banks Peninsula it made sense to include local roads and take a whole-of-network approach.

“We want to make all Banks Peninsula roads as safe as possible for everyone so we’re reviewing the network based on Waka Kotahi guidance on safe and appropriate speed limits,” he says.

“We know that speed dictates both crash probability and severity – the higher a vehicle’s speed, the greater the risk of a crash and the bigger the consequences are on impact.

“The speed you’re travelling at can mean the difference between life or death for drivers, passengers, pedestrians, e-scooter users and cyclists.”

Takamatua Straight extra thinking needed

Mr Caygill notes that there was one section of the Akaroa highway where Waka Kotahi is asking for more public input to help with the final decision.

“We’re asking for more feedback from people about Takamatua Straight, to help us with our final decision because our technical evidence could support two different speed limits safely – 60km/hour or 80km/hour.

“We’re asking for more information on people’s experiences travelling through Takamatua and using the intersection and people’s views on safety and speed at this location.”

The public consultation period runs from 3 November to 11pm on 3 December 2021. People can get more information on the proposal, and provide feedback, by:

•        Visiting the Christchurch to Akaroa project page

•        Emailing: email hidden; JavaScript is required

•        Mailing in the FreePost consultation feedback form, which is available from Council libraries and service centres.

The recommended speeds are an important step towards helping New Zealand achieve its Road to Zero target of 40 percent fewer deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 2030.

New Zealand’s road safety strategy

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

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTASouthIsland
• Twitter Canterbury/West Coast: twitter.com/WakaKotahiCWC
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises signs and barriers will be installed during the week of 15 November to reduce the bridge from two lanes to one, with Give Way and a temporary speed restriction of 50km/h in place.

The bridge deck and beams, known together as the superstructure, are ageing due to sea salt spray and need to be replaced.

For the bridge to remain open traffic will be directed across one lane in the centre of the bridge says Waikato System Manager Cara Lauder.

“The condition of the superstructure means that reducing it to one lane ensures it can safely remain in use for all vehicles, including trucks,” Ms Lauder says.

“Safety is our number one priority and we carry out regular inspections to ensure that all state highway bridges in the Coromandel and around New Zealand remain safe at all times.”

There is no date currently scheduled for the superstructure replacement of the Boundary Creek bridge, which is approximately 22 kilometres north of Thames.

Waka Kotahi has a busy programme of bridge work around the Coromandel. A business case for the replacement of Pepe Stream bridge in Tairua is currently being developed, Hikuai SST bridge, 3km north of the State Highway 25A Hikuai Junction, will have further repairs done and a new deck installed next year, and a footbridge for safe pedestrian access over Graham’s Stream in Tairua is due to open shortly.

There is also a busy summer maintenance programme planned for the Coromandel, with repairs and resealing planned for around 100 sites on SH25 and SH25A.

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

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• 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)

Work will be underway from 7 pm to 6 am in the Lineside Road/Smith St overpass area for around five nights. Contractors will be installing temporary steel barrier to create a safe work site.

“The detour will take drivers to the Lineside Road/Smith St offramp, across the overpass, and back onto the motorway using the northbound on-ramp,” says Tresca Forrester, Journey Manager for Waka Kotahi. “It will be well signposted.”

Temporary traffic lights on the overpass will be used to ensure safe access for drivers using Smith St and Lineside Road, as well as the SH1 detour.

The southbound lane of SH1 will remain open, with a temporary speed limit of 50km/h past the work site.

This work is part of the SH1 Cam River to Tram Road Safety Improvements Project, designed to improve the safety and resilience of the highway north of Christchurch. 

SH1 North Canterbury Corridor

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

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTASouthIsland
• Twitter Canterbury/West Coast: twitter.com/WakaKotahiCWC
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)