Saddle Rd blackspot

The number of crashes on the Saddle Rd has soared since the Manawatu¯ Gorge closed in April and forced more traffic on to the main alternative route. NZ Transport Agency figures show 13 recorded crashes on the 11km road between April 24 and the end of August, including three that resulted in minor injuries. There were only two crashes on the Saddle Rd in the whole of 2016. The NZTA says an $8.5 million upgrade programme will be finished over summer.