Four laning round Lake Karapiro

The general area of the new section of highway.

A new four lane highway further away from Lake Karapiro is the favoured option for building a wider safe section of State Highway 1, between Cambridge and the SH29 intersection at Pairere.

The NZ Trasnport Agency says the final route will be determined during the next stage of investigations, but analysis and public consultation results in the favoured corridor between Karapiro Road and the SH1/29 intersection and alongside Lake Karapiro being located north of the current road.

The project team and stakeholders favour a four-lane expressway for the stretch of highway from south of the Waikato Expressway up to and including the SH1/29 intersection.

The Transport Agency's regional relationships director, central North Island, Parekawhia McLean, says it is important to let people know of the early preference.

'We're telling people that a favoured option has emerged because a project of this scope and size affects many people who live, work, do business or travel through that part of the country,” says Parekawhia.

'A lot of work still needs to be done, like further investigation, but we will be taking people along on this journey with us and keeping them informed along the way.”

The improvements are expected to reduce the number of deaths and serious injury crashes on the Cambridge to Piarere corridor by more than 70 per cent. Five people died and 14 were seriously injured in crashes on the route over the five years from 2011-15.

The favoured option will significantly improve safety by ensuring the road has the latest design and eliminating conflict between local traffic and state highway users.

The corridor will also improve the travel time, ensure the journey takes the same amount of time every time and improve access to places the community use.

Further detailed investigation and reporting now needs to be undertaken before the favoured option – known as E2 in the consultation phase – goes to the NZ Transport Agency board.

The final decision will be announced later this year.

Meanwhile, $8.1 million in short-term safety improvements get under way on the existing route late this year. These include a wide centre-line, roadside barriers at high-risk areas, upgraded signage and a right-turn bay into Keeley's Landing.

People can read more about the favoured Option E2 on the project website.

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4 comments

golly gosh

Posted on 01-05-2017 13:30 | By old trucker

Would it not be better to spend $8.1 million on the new road, doesnt it seem silly to waste this on improvements, its been yrs in planing and still not done as all the people with a finger in the pie want it to spin out, i have been out of that side road dozens of times over the yrs, all you have to do is wait a minute or 2 for it to clear then go,it is tricky for truck and trailers as the gap quickly gets gobbled up to get a run out, my thoughts only, Thanks Sunlive ,10-4 out.


Priorities

Posted on 01-05-2017 15:37 | By rosbo

I cannot believe that the Cambridge to the SH1/29 junction on SH1 has priority over the Bethlehem to Waihi stretch of SH2. The latter has been screaming for rebuilding - not just safety improvements- for decades. Most of the SH1 remaining problems would be solved by a flyover or roundabout at the SH1/29 junction. Can Sunlive dig out some facts and figures, pease. If I try I will only get a lot of flannel and jargon


by the way

Posted on 01-05-2017 19:01 | By old trucker

We supplied all of the metal for that main road job back in the day when it was 4 laned,and we carted it all over the Karapiro dam from KAIPAKI side as there was a BIG quarry there beside the dam,its all grown over now,we did all of the TeAwamutu township as well,been there done that, 1,000s of miles of carting in a D800, and D1000 T@T several trucks,all on $7.00 a hour, house and 5 acres $8,000, my that takes me back,my thoughts only,Thanks for the great news Sunlive,10-4 out.


Me thinks it is

Posted on 02-05-2017 22:42 | By The Caveman

ELECTION YEAR. Some how I remember that NATIONAL promised to two lane, 8/9 one lane bridges in Northland some time ago - to upstage Winston Peters - unless I am mistaken some three years latter only TWO bridges have been two laned - this Waikato project will not start before the 2021 elections - watch this space..............................


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