People travelling in or out of Wellington can now expect to see a new state highway number, with part of State Highway 1 (SH1) becoming State Highway 59 (SH59) today.
The section of state highway between Linden and Mackays Crossing has been renumbered State Highway 59 as Waka Kotahi continues to prepare the wider state highway network for the opening of Transmission Gully.
“It’s not often that we get to change a state highway number, but it’s an important step towards getting ready for Transmission Gully. It will make it easier for people to navigate around the network, and for us to share accurate information in the event crashes or disruptions on the highways,” says Mark Owen, Waka Kotahi Regional Operations and Maintenance Manager.
This switch is being done before Transmission Gully motorway opens, so while the state highway number has changed, the current route remains the same. When Transmission Gully opens, it will become SH1. In the meantime, SH59 will create a small break in SH1 between Mackays Crossing and Linden.
Waka Kotahi has been working with map providers to update journey information, and with councils to update addresses and signage.
Due to the way journey time information is gathered, approximately 24 electronic signs along the route that display SH1 journey times need to be reset. People should expect these signs to remain blank for at least 48 hours while updated information is imported and checked..
Although the gradual replacement of signs is already underway, it may take several weeks for some of the larger signs to be replaced.
For more information follow the Waka Kotahi Wellington Facebook page or visit the Wellington Network Operational Readiness webpage: nzta.govt.nz/wnor(external link)
State highways are numbered according to which part of the country they are located. State highways within the Wellington, Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay regions are numbered between 50-59, with 59 being the next available number for the Wellington region.
