The communities of Pūhoi and Kaukapakapa will have lower speed limits in place for Christmas as part of the NZ Transport Agency’s commitment on behalf of the Government to making roads and roadsides safer.
The Transport Agency says the new speed limits will take effect from today (December 20).
On State Highway 1 (SH1) at Pūhoi, the 80km/h speed limit through Johnstone’s Hill tunnel will be extended north of the Pūhoi Road intersection. This is a reduction from the previous 100km/h speed limit.
On Pūhoi Road, there will be a new speed limit of 80km/h from SH1 up to the 50km/h zone in Pūhoi village. This is a reduction from the previous 100km/h speed limit.
On State Highway 16 north of Kaukapakapa Village, there will be a new speed limit of 80km/h from north of North Crescent to just west of Kanohi Road. This is a reduction from the previous 100km/h speed limit.
On SH16 south of Kaukapakapa village, the existing 50km/h zone will be extended south east of Opoto Place. There will also be a new speed limit of 80km/h south east of Opoto Place to just west of Henley Road – a reduction from the previous 100km/h speed limit.
“The communities of Pūhoi and Kaukapakapa have been concerned that legal speed limits in each area were too high, creating risk for local road users, pedestrians and residents. We are grateful to so many people who gave us feedback.”
The Transport Agency uses a Safe System approach to road safety, which maintains that while some mistakes on the road are inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not.
“Reducing speed limits and making the road and roadside more forgiving of human error reduces the risk of crashes happening and limit their severity when they do,” says Mr Gliddon.
