Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is reducing speed limits on State Highway 33 and State Highway 30 in the Bay of Plenty to help keep road users safe.
The new permanent speed limits through Paengaroa and between Ōkere Falls and Rotokawa Road will come into effect from Monday 29 June.
Between August and September 2019, Waka Kotahi consulted the local community and road user groups on safe and appropriate speed limits in an effort to save lives and reduce the number of serious crashes.
Director Regional Relationships Steve Mutton says this route is one of the highest risk roads in the Bay of Plenty. Five people died and 26 people were seriously injured in crashes on these roads in the last ten years (2009–2018).
“While we are making State Highway 33 safer with improvements like wide centrelines and road safety barriers, lower speed limits are needed. Human beings are fallible. We all make mistakes, and we will never eliminate crashes, but speed is a factor in every crash and it’s the factor that determines whether you are killed, seriously injured, or walk away from a crash unharmed. Mistakes are inevitable, but deaths and serious injuries aren’t.
“Our priority is to make this road safer so that everyone using it can get where they are going safely and reliably,” Mr Mutton says.
“We thank everyone who provided a submission and feedback on the proposed speed limit changes. Together with the community’s insights and our technical review we have been able to make an informed decision on these speed limit changes.”
The current speed limits vary from 100km/h along the rural open road sections to 70km/h through the rural towns of Paengaroa, Okere Falls and Mourea. These speed limits are unsafe when combined with the number of vehicles, including heavy vehicles, driving through areas where people live, or are enjoying popular recreational sites.
The consultation also proposed a variable 60km/h Intersection Speed Zone at the SH30/SH33 Te Ngae Junction. Waka Kotahi is reviewing the feedback received on this and will share a decision at a later date.
These permanent speed limit changes follow engagement with the Police, the AA, and the Road Transport Forum, and consultation with the public.
More information on the permanent speed limits and our consultation summary, including the submissions, can be found at nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh30-33-permanent-speed-limits(external link)
Confirmed speed limit changes for State Highway 30/State Highway 33 Rural Rotorua and Paengaroa
From Monday 29 June, the new permanent speed limits are as follows.
| Location | Current speed limit | New speed limit (from 29 June 2020) |
| SH33 Paengaroa | 70km/h | 60km/h |
| From 120m north of Lemon Road to 110m south-west of Partridge Lane. | ||
| SH33 Okere Falls | 100km/h, 70km/h | 60km/h |
| From 390m north of Trout Pool Road to 1.57km south of Trout Pool Road. | ||
| SH33 Okere Falls south to Waipuna Bay | 100km/h | 80km/h |
| From 1.57km south of Trout Pool Road to 703m north-east of Hamurana Road. | ||
| SH33 Waipuna Bay, through Mourea, to Okawa Bay | 70km/h, 100km/h | 60km/h |
| From 703m north-east of Hamurana Road to 64m south of Okawa Bay Road. | ||
| SH33 Okawa Bay to Te Ngae Junction | 100km/h | 80km/h |
| From 64m south of Okawa Bay Road to the SH33/SH30 intersection. | ||
| SH30 Te Ngae Junction to Rotokawa Road | 100km/h | 80km/h |
| From 353m east of the SH33/SH30 intersection to 140m north of Rotokawa Road. | ||
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