SH1 Hampden to Palmerston safe network project

Improving road safety is a top priority for the NZTA and how we invest in road safety is changing. Our focus is on delivering safe roading infrastructure via the Roads of National Significance and Roads of Regional Significance, providing enhanced maintenance and highway resilience. Some funding is available for value-for-money safety improvements at the highest-risk locations.

How speed limits are managed in New Zealand is also changing. NZTA will be supporting a targeted approach to highway speed management focussed on safe and efficient travel and supporting Police to meet speed-related enforcement targets. These changes in priorities mean the SH1 Hampden to Palmerston and SH1 Herbert to Hampden safe network projects are no longer proceeding through to construction. Planning and design work will be kept for future reassessment. We will let you know if this project is prioritised again.

NZTA has been looking at more ways to increase safety on SH1 between Ōamaru and Dunedin. Communities along the route are growing, and there are several popular tourist attractions in the area, including the iconic Moeraki Boulders. From 2015 to 2019, there were five fatal crashes and six serious injury crashes on SH1 between Hampden to Palmerston.

Some safety improvements were previously carried out through the Safe Roads Programme for this section of highway. In 2017, NZTA installed electronic rural intersection warning and variable speed signs at the SH1/Moeraki intersection. The right-hand turn bay into the Moeraki Boulders site was also improved.

To help prevent driver distraction, an agreement was reached with the Waitaki District Council and Moeraki businesses to remove advertising signage along the highway in this area. These were replaced with an information board just off SH1 on the road to the Moeraki Village. 

Communities in this area and NZTA transport partners understand this is a high crash risk highway and support safety improvements to reduce crashes.