The NZ Transport Agency is seeking feedback on its proposal to permanently reduce the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h, to improve safety on the 2.3km section of State Highway 6 from Stalker Road to Hardware Lane in Frankton, including past the Tucker Beach Road intersection.
Current crash figures for the 2.3km section, from 2011–16, show 18 reported crashes on this section of highway, resulting in three serious and 13 minor injuries.
Transport Agency Southern Business Unit Manager Ian Duncan says a sharp rise in developments in this area in recent years has generated much more traffic and a corresponding increase in crashes. The community has also raised concerns about the safety of the Tucker Beach Road intersection along with the impact of rapidly increasing traffic volumes on this stretch of road.
“Lowering the speed limit through this area is part of the Transport Agency’s ongoing commitment to creating safer journeys by reducing the numbers of death and serious injuries on roads through the Safe System approach.”
“It recognises that people make mistakes and are vulnerable in a crash, and aims to reduce the price paid for a mistake so crashes don’t result in death or serious injuries. This includes building safer roads and encouraging people to drive their vehicles at safe speeds.”
Find more information on the Transport Agency’s Safe System approach(external link)
Mr Duncan says while all of the Transport Agency’s road safety partners have agreed in principal to the proposed speed limit change, it is important that the Transport Agency also hears what the local community thinks.
Feedback on the proposal can be made to:
Senior Safety Engineer, NZ Transport Agency, PO Box 5245, Dunedin 9058,
or emailed to SpeedLimitOtgoSthlnd@nzta.govt.nz by 28 March 2017.
For real time information on highway conditions and incidents or to report issues, check Facebook NZ Transport Agency South Island(external link)
Ways to find out what is happening on the highway network:
