Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has set a new speed limit for the Motueka High Street town centre, on SH60 in Tasman District, following consultation in 2021.
“Taking into consideration the feedback we received and our technical assessment, we will be changing the speed limit in the town centre from 50km/h to 30km/h,” says Waka Kotahi Director Regional Relationships Emma Speight. The new speed limit will come into effect from Friday, 8 April, 2022.
“We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely. High Street is a busy road with lots of people driving, walking and cycling. It includes the town centre for Motueka, and a number of schools, homes and businesses on the way.
“Most crashes are caused by a number of contributing factors. But even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed. A small reduction in speed can make a big difference, especially when people riding bikes or walking are involved,” says Ms Speight.
As part of the new speed limit within the town centre, people will also see new paint on the road. This will include red painted strips to define the town centre where 30km/h is in place.
There will also be sharrow markings, which is a bike symbol with a double arrow symbol above it. These remind everyone that people riding bikes can take the middle of the lane. These bike outline markings will be within the new 30km/h section of High Street, an area which is narrower due to a high number of on-street parks.
“For people riding bikes, taking the middle lane through this busy area will help prevent drivers passing them where the road is too narrow to pass safely. It will also mean people on bikes are less likely to get hit by people opening car doors as they get out of their parked cars,” says Ms Speight.
As well as the bike outline markings, Waka Kotahi will place advanced stop boxes at both signalised intersections and signalised pedestrian crossing locations. The advanced stop boxes are a green box with a bike symbol in it and these provide a safe stopping space in front of cars and trucks. This makes people on bikes more visible to drivers, giving them a physical head-start when the traffic signal turns green and safe opportunities to change lanes during the red phase.
At this stage Waka Kotahi will not be changing the variable school zone speed limit. The variable school speed limit will remain at 40km/h with a 50km/h limit outside peak school times.
“We are working through a separate approval process to be able to install a 30km/h variable school speed limit with a 50km/h limit outside peak school times,” says Emma Speight.
“We thank everyone who provided their feedback on the proposed speed limits.
“The new speed limit, alongside the new traffic and pedestrian signals and recently built roundabout, will help make High Street safer for everyone, especially people walking or cycling within the busy town centre.”
More information on the new permanent speed limit and the consultation summary
|
Location |
Current speed limit (km/h) |
New permanent speed limit (km/h) from 8/4/2022 |
|
Existing 50/100 change point 220m south of SH60 / Wharf Road roundabout to approximately 35m south of the Whakarewa Street intersection The School Zone is proposed to go from 55m south of Courtney Street to the existing school variable speed limit sign 40m south of Old Wharf Road |
50km/h with a 40km/h electronic variable school zone The School Zone currently goes from south of the Jack Inglis Friendship Hospital entrance to south of the SH60 / Old Wharf Road intersection |
No change At this stage we will not be changing the variable school zone speed limit. The variable school speed limit will remain at 40km/h with a 50km/h outside peak school times. We are working through a separate approval process to be able to install a 30km/h variable school speed limit with a 50km/h outside peak school times. |
|
35m south of the Whakarewa Street intersection to 85m south of the Poole Street intersection |
50km/h |
30km/h |
|
85m south of the Poole Street intersection to the existing 80/50 change point 325m north of Parker Street |
50km/h |
50km/h (no change) |
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