Options explored to improve SH1 safety
‘‘Our immediate priority is to make this key tourism and freight route safer for everyone who uses it.’’
The long-term options for improvements to State Highway 1 between Cambridge and Piarere have been narrowed down to five.
New Zealand Transport Agency is asking the public to let it know what the preferred choice is.
It is part of its investigation into long-term safety improvements to the stretch of highway from the southern end of the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway up to and including the SH1/29 intersection at Piarere.
The 17km stretch has seen 358 crashes in the past 10 years, resulting in 13 deaths and 45 serious injuries.
Five of those deaths and 14 of the injuries happened between 2011 and 2015. Two young men and a dog died in a head-on car smash at the SH1/29 intersection in February.
The long-term options range from minor changes to the existing State Highway to development of a full four-lane expressway. The expressway options could be developed along the existing road or on a completely new road.
People can look at the options and provide feedback via an online survey. They can also attend a public information day at the Karapiro Hall on March 9, between 2pm and 7pm, to discuss the short-listed options with the project team.
Short-term safety improvements will be put in place while the long-term investigation continues.
NZTA’s Waikato Highways Manager Niclas Johansson said this work will help to reduce the number of ordinary people affec- ted by deaths and serious injuries on this road.
‘‘Our immediate priority is to make this key tourism and freight route safer for everyone who uses it, so the short-term safety work will start in May, but the longterm work still needs more input from the public.
‘‘The results we’ve had so far are telling us people want to see changes, but we want to come up with the best solution together, so have your say on our website or at the open day next month.’’
The short-term work will include creating a wide centre line over the majority of the route to reduce head-on crashes and installing side barriers in highrisk areas, to reduce the impact of run-off road crashes. Other improvements will see a rightturn bay at Keeley’s Landing and visibility improvements at selected intersections.
People can view the latest project update, look at the options and take part in the latest survey at www.nzta.govt.nz.