As part of the State Highway 30 Tikitere to Whakatāne speed review, new safe speed limits have been set and installation of the new signs started Monday 14 August 2023.
Due to the nearly 80km long corridor, the 200 new signs will be installed over 2-3 weeks, weather permitting.
As each sign is installed, the new speed comes into force for that section of highway.
Working in stages is the safest way to install the signs. To cover each sign until they’re all installed would create a safety risk, as each sign needs to be handled three times. Not only does this triple the time people are working on the road and increase costs, but it also means the road is under slow traffic management for longer.
Installation has started and people will see the new speed limit signs first in Rotoiti and Rotomā, followed by Tikitere to Rotoehu, then Te Teko, Awakeri and Whakatāne.
Once the new speed limit signs are in place, the permanent new speed limits are:
|
Location |
Existing speed limit (km/h) |
New speed limit (km/h) |
|---|---|---|
|
Tikitere - From 353m east of SH30/SH33 Tikitere Junction to 650m east of Curtis Road. |
100 |
80 |
|
Ruatō Bay/ Lake Rotoiti - From 650m east of Curtis Road to 905m west of Morehu Road West. |
100, 80, 100 |
60 |
|
Lake Rotoehu - From 905m west of Morehu Road West to 120m west of Oxford Road. |
100 |
80 |
|
Lake Rotomā - From 120m west of Oxford Road to 2460m west of SH30/SH34 Kawerau Junction West. |
70, 100 |
60 |
|
Rotomā - From 2460m west of SH30/SH34 Kawerau Junction West to 412m west of Huia Crescent. |
100 |
80 |
|
Rangitāiki River bridge - From 412m west of Huia Crescent to 325m east of Te Teko Road. |
50 |
No change |
|
Te Teko - From 325m east of Te Teko Road to 100m north-east of Galatea Road. |
70 |
60 |
|
Te Teko East - From 100m north-east of Galatea Road to 185m south-west of SH2/SH30 Awakeri Junction West. |
100 |
80 |
|
Awakeri - From 185m south-west of SH2/SH30 Awakeri Junction West to 705m north-east of the SH2/30 Awakeri Junction East |
70, 100 |
60 |
|
Awakeri - From 100m west of the SH2/30 Awakeri Junction West to 80m east of the SH2/SH30 Awakeri Junction East. |
70 |
60 |
|
Whakatāne - From 705m north-east of the SH2/30 Awakeri Junction East to 310m west of the centre of the SH30/Gateway Drive/Phoenix Drive roundabout. |
100 |
80 |
|
Whakatāne bridge - From 310m west of the centre of SH30/Gateway Drive/Phoenix Drive roundabout to 100m north of northern abutment of the Whakatāne Bridge. |
80 |
60 |
More information on the permanent speed limits and public consultation, including a summary of submissions, can be found at:
SH30 Tikitere to Whakatāne permanent speed limits
Delivering safety improvements in speed and infrastructure are an important part of Road to Zero, Aotearoa New Zealand’s road safety strategy, and underpinned by the internationally proven Safe System approach, which acknowledges that as humans, we all make mistakes - but these mistakes do not need to cost us our lives.
