Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is continuing work to make State Highway 58 safer for everyone who uses it. Planning work has begun for the final stage of improvements, including new roundabouts at two key intersections, while construction continues on the current stage.
Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships, Emma Speight, says the work is an essential component of plans to prevent people dying and being seriously injured on roads in Greater Wellington, alongside improvements on other highways in the region.
“SH58 was once considered Wellington’s most dangerous state highway. Changes we have already made are beginning to turn that record around. A safer speed limit of 80km/h was implemented in 2018 and the first stage of safety upgrades, from the SH2 interchange to Mount Cecil Road, were completed late last year,” says Emma Speight.
“Improvements like roundabout intersections and new safety barriers are part of Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy. They reduce the rate of crashes and help ensure that when a crash does happen, the people involved are more likely to walk away without serious injuries,” says Emma Speight.
Construction of the current phase of the project between Mt Cecil Road and Harris Road is well underway and expected to be completed later this year. This stage includes road widening and new safety barriers.
Waka Kotahi is now starting the planning phase for the final stage of improvements along SH58 – the section between Harris Road and the Transmission Gully SH1 interchange. The improvements in this area will include:
Waka Kotahi is currently engaging with property owners prior to seeking relevant planning approvals for this final stage of improvements, and investigating whether some work can be brought forward, by seeking early approvals for road widening and safety barriers between Harris Road and Moonshine Road.
The roundabouts will require more complex approvals, and some additional land to be purchased. Waka Kotahi expects to lodge applications late this year and start construction in 2023 if consents are approved.
“We are working to deliver all stages of this project as quickly as possible, providing safer access between the Hutt Valley and Porirua. We’d like to say thank you to our neighbours and to SH58 users for their patience while we’re working in the area,” says Emma Speight.
SH58 Safety Improvements is funded $105 million through the Government’s $8.7 billion New Zealand Upgrade Programme investment in better and safer transport choices for growing communities.
SH58 safety improvements project page
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