Road users on State Highway 1 at Five Mile Bay, just south of Taupō, will soon notice new wide centrelines as part of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency safety improvements in and around the Taupō region.
A 1.5m wide centreline will be painted on the freshly resealed section of the state highway between Taupō Airport/Lake Terrace roundabout and Tawhaa Road later this week.
The resealing is one of several sites being sealed between Taupō and Tūrangi as part of the Waka Kotahi spring/summer road maintenance programme, which will see repairs and resurfacing carried out on state highways across the Waikato.
Wide centrelines consist of two lines marked in the centre of the road that provide greater separation for opposing traffic than standard centreline markings. This separation helps reduce the likelihood of head-on crashes and is typically used on roads where ‘crossing the centreline’ type crashes either exist or there is increased risk of them occurring.
Road users are reminded to drive with care through the new road layout.
The wide centrelines are part of planned safety improvements on SH1 in the Taupo region to make our state highways safer to support the delivery of Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy.
Waka Kotahi is also investigating options such as flexible median and roadside safety barriers on SH1 from Taupō Airport to Hātepe, excluding the township of Waitahanui. We’re engaging with iwi, stakeholders and the community throughout the feasibility and design stages. Construction is planned to start in late 2022, subject to funding and other planning requirements.
Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.
