The long-term options for improvements to State Highway 1 between Cambridge and Piarere will be on display at a Public Information Day at Karapiro Hall on Thursday 9 March.
The NZ Transport Agency is investigating long-term safety and efficiency improvements to the stretch of highway from the southern end of the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway up to and including the SH1/29 intersection at Piarere.
Short-term safety improvements will be put in place while the long-term investigation continues.
The long-term options proposed range from minor changes to the existing State Highway to development of a full four-lane expressway. The expressway options could be developed along the existing road or on a completely new road.
The project team for both the short-term and long-term work will be at the Karapiro Hall between 2pm and 7pm on Thursday, to answer any questions and discuss the options. People can look at the options and provide feedback via an on-line survey.
The Transport Agency’s Waikato Highways Manager Niclas Johansson says the project team are keen to hear what the public think of the options being considered.
“We know both the residents and regular users of this stretch of road want to see improvements, so we’re looking forward to working together to come up with the best solution.
“So if you want to have your say either come to the information day or go online and take the survey,” Mr Johansson says.
The short term work begins in May and will include creating a wide centre line over the majority of the route to reduce head on crashes and installing side barriers in high-risk areas, to reduce the impact of run-off road crashes. Other improvements will see a right-turn bay at Keeley’s Landing and visibility improvements at selected intersections.
The short term work is part of the government’s Safer Roads and Roadsides Programme targeting 90 high-risk sites on rural state highways nationally.
People can view the latest project update, look at the options and take part in the latest survey at www.nzta.govt.nz/c2p(external link)
