Speed reductions proposed for highways
The country’s road transport agency wants speed limits reduced along several sections of State Highway in Taranaki, including through O¯ mata and Egmont Village.
Waka Kotahi has released details of 11 spots in Taranaki that it proposes to lower limits as part of its Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan.
The proposed changes would see the speed limit drop from 80kph to 60kph through O¯ mata from Beach Rd to south of Sealy Rd.
It would also bring in a 40kph limit on parts of the main road through Inglewood, Stratford and Eltham, as well as through Moturoa in New Plymouth.
There is also a planned reduction for Egmont Village, although the proposed speed limit would move from 70kph to 60kph, not the 50kph a group from the settlement wanted when they launched a petition calling on Waka Kotahi to change the speed limit in July.
The group included residents, business owners and the Egmont Village School’s board and principal.
Waka Kotahi’s proposed plan is open for consultation until December 12, and proposes speed limits be reduced around the country ‘‘to ensure we’re protecting the people and communities we care about.’’
Included in the other proposed changes in Taranaki is a speed reduction, from 80kph to 60kph, for the State Highway 3 intersection with Egmont Rd.
GJ Gardner co-director Rod Roebuck and New Plymouth councillor Sam Bennett started a petition calling for safety improvements at the intersection last year after several serious accidents occurred.
Bennett welcomed the proposal as a start to improving safety at the intersection and said they would be providing a submission to Waka Kotahi to also include new signage around the site warning it was a dangerous intersection.
As well as the 11 proposed changes on Taranaki’s state highways, Waka Kotahi plans to introduce variable speed limits outside 40 of the region’s schools.
Those variable speed limits range from 30kph on urban roads and 60kph on rural roads.
If confirmed, the changes would be implemented from next year.
‘‘With more people travelling at speeds that are safe and appropriate for the road environment, we will see more inclusive, safer and more people-friendly towns and cities where we can all move around freely, no matter how we choose to travel,’’ Waka Kotahi national manager programme and standards Vanessa Browne said.
Proposed speed limit changes: State Highway 3 to Egmont Rd intersection 80kph to 60kph; SH 3 Egmont Village urban 70kph to 60kph; SH3 Inglewood main street 50kph to 40kph; SH3 Midhirst urban 70kph to 60kph; SH3 Stratford main street 50kph to 40kph; SH3 Stratford urban 70kph to 50kph; SH3 Eltham urban 50kph to 40kph; SH3 Normanby urban 70kph to 60kph; SH3 Ha¯wera north 70kph to 60kph; SH44 Moturoa main street 50kph to 40kph; SH45 O¯ mata urban 80kph to 60kph.