Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is seeking community feedback on a 14.2km median barrier option for State Highway 2 between Tetley Road and Esdaile Road, south of Katikati.
Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery Jo Wilton says consultation at this stage is really important to the next steps.
'We want to hear from the people who live alongside and regularly use this section of road to inform how we might shape a median barrier,” says Wilton.
Between 2009 and 2018, 25 people lost their lives and 66 were seriously injured along this stretch of rural highway.
Most of these accidents were caused by head-on collisions, crashes at intersections, and people running off the road and hitting trees, poles or deep ditches.
'We're making good progress with the planned safety improvements with over nine kilometres of flexible barrier and seven kilometres of guardrail (W-section barrier) in place along the roadsides. We now have the opportunity to design median barrier and roundabouts.
'A median barrier physically separates opposing traffic and helps to prevent vehicles travelling into opposing traffic lanes. Flexible road safety barriers catch vehicles before they hit something less forgiving – like a pole, tree or oncoming car,” says Wilton.
Safe turnaround areas will be considered as part of the detailed design phase. If a median barrier was installed, the likely option would be a single lane roundabout, sized to accommodate a large truck. Approximately five roundabouts would need to be constructed for a median barrier of 14.2km.
'We've extended the survey period to Friday 21 May to give people more opportunity to tell us what they think. Thank you to those who have already provided feedback. We look forward to keeping you informed of progress with the median barrier option,” says Wilton.
How you can have your say?
- Contact us at: mailto:bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz
- Visit the Waihī to Ōmokoroa web page to complete the survey online at: www.nzta.govt.nz/w2o
How do median barriers work?
A median barrier physically separates opposing traffic and helps to prevent vehicles travelling into opposing traffic lanes. Flexible road safety barriers catch vehicles before they hit something less forgiving – like a pole, tree or oncoming car. When a vehicle hits a flexible barrier, the steel cables flex, slowing down the vehicle and keeping it upright. The barriers absorb the impact of the crash and reduce the risk of injury. This is a cost-effective infrastructure treatment that can reduce the deaths and injuries in crashes by 75 percent.
Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey this summer. Keep up to date with:
· 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)
12 comments
Just fix the bloody road.
Posted on 05-05-2021 07:14 | By First Responder
All these patch ups, and change this corner and that corner, reduce speed here and there, add a barrier here and there, meanwhile more and more cars and trucks are using the road. Accidents are not reducing. The city is expanding. Just FIX THE BLOODY ROAD.
Just make it wider
Posted on 05-05-2021 07:42 | By Womby
A double lane expressway like both national and Labour have promised for years is what is needed. The land has mostly been acquired between bethlehem and katikati, get on with it, not a half fix.
get it right
Posted on 05-05-2021 09:02 | By hapukafin
Stepup drivers education.roads dont cause accidents,drivers not concentrating on their driving are the cause.Drivers caught using phones while driving should fined at least $500.plus points loss.
Hmmm
Posted on 05-05-2021 09:40 | By Let's get real
Certainly, median barriers do a fantastic job of reducing head-on crashes, but in my opinion they should only be used in situations where there are dual lanes in both directions. Tetley Road should only be available for vehicles to merge with the flow of traffic, as with any number of sideroads in the area, because oncoming vehicle speed and lack of clear road visibility is killing people. We're just discussing reasons to not four-lane a very dangerous stretch of state highway because we don't want cars on the road and the Greens won't support improving infrastructure.
Daizy
Posted on 05-05-2021 09:49 | By Davy
Five years ago National had plans for Western link Labour CANNED IT, PATCH UPS that are being done now are a waste Tax payers dollars agree with Womby comments
The median barriers
Posted on 05-05-2021 11:35 | By Merlin
The median barriers on State Highway 2 by Quarry Road were getting knocked over and only lasting less than a week before replacement and were finally not replaced at all presumably for the costs.It has to be driver lack of attention.
Shouldn't be required
Posted on 05-05-2021 13:35 | By The Professor
We shouldn't have to go to this trouble and expense because it should be simple to stay on the right side of the road and to stay on the road itself. Maybe invest in teaching Kiwis how to control a vehicle.
Roads to no where
Posted on 05-05-2021 13:35 | By 2up
Hey Daizy "Five years ago National had plans for Western link Labour CANNED IT" That was a National re election SCAM. Labour got in only to find there was no money allocated for that so called National plan. National had 9 years in office and Bridges did nothing.
Can't wait for the roadworks
Posted on 05-05-2021 19:55 | By scott
How many more years of roadworks does this entail ? The TePuna roundabout took a speedy 2 years to put in one roundabout with maximum disruption. We are bumbling along in our 4th year of roadworks for the safety improvements. I'm all for safer roads but there needs to be someone in charge that's capable of designing and managing the works. If the last 5 or 6 years are anything to go by this is going to be very very painful mentally and financially for everyone. Let's be honest the design management and implementation of whole SH2 thing is a friggin embarrassment.
What a Joke!
Posted on 06-05-2021 09:09 | By Wigan
Where ever you look, the answer to roading issues seems to be choke up even more what is already choked up. It doesn't matter if you wear a red or a blue rosette, the only thing our politicians are really any good at is lying and making empty promises they have no intention of keeping once elected. The reality of this is they can't afford to provide adequate roading, for the 10's of thousands using SH2, when they are throwing obscene amounts of money at all sorts of other "feel-good" projects for the 10's or hundreds!
Fun Activity
Posted on 06-05-2021 10:26 | By Wigan
So, just for fun, try being very strict with yourself & drive at 80 KPH between Te Puna & Katikati. It is really difficult! During the week days, it is so busy you will struggle to get close to 80 & in the quiet times you will find yourself over 80 before you even realise it. It would be a far better investment to spend money on illuminated, "smart," variable speed signs to change down/up as the traffic volumes increase/decrease
No Information
Posted on 06-05-2021 17:51 | By Avman
Does anyone else notice that they want to build median barriers to save head-on collisions, but they have carefully avoided telling us how many head-on collisions there have been? We are told that 25 people died as a result of head-ons, intersection accidents, running off the road, hitting poles etc in 10 years. How many of those are related to the median barriers that they want to erect? They didn't tell us. Obviously they know the answer, and if they refuse to tell us then it can only be because they know that there are not many. Show us the relevant data, not the totally irrelevant data NZTA. How many people died because of head-on accidents? It's the whole point after all.
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