Why did you have to set new speed limits?
When talking with iwi, the community, council, local police, road user groups and local businesses about making this stretch of road safer, some people raised concerns that current speeds felt too high to be safe.
Crash history has also shown that there is a safety issue on this road, with seven people killed and 57 people seriously injured in crashes on these roads between 2009 and 2018.
A small change in speed makes a big difference, especially when cyclists or pedestrians are involved. Most crashes are caused by a number of contributing factors, but even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed.
What are the new permanent speed limits?
The following new permanent speed limits will apply from Monday 7 September 2020:
| Location | Existing speed limits | New speed limits from 7 September 2020 |
|
SH16 Kumeu and Huapai - from 50m south-east of Old Railway Road to 10m north-west of Station Road. |
60km/h | 50km/h |
|
SH16 Huapai - no change to speed limit from 10m north-west of Station Road to 260m north-west of Trigg Road. |
60km/h | No change |
|
SH16 Huapai to Waimauku - from 260m north-west of Trigg Road to 140m east of Wintour Road. |
100km/h | 80km/h |
|
SH16 Waimauku - from 140m east of Wintour Road to 95m east of Mabbett Lane. |
70km/h | 60km/h |
How were those limits decided?
The speed review process involves numerous steps that help determine the speed limits we propose at consultation.
The first step is completing a technical assessment which takes into account the road itself, the traffic volumes, the crash history, and the way people are currently travelling on the roads.
Following the technical assessment, we undertook informal engagement with road user groups, members of the public, councils, AA, road transport associations, and the police. The feedback we received from engagement helped to determine if and what we will formally consult on for proposed speed limit changes.
During consultation we asked the community and others for submissions on any external factors we may need to be aware of. The consultation period ran for six weeks. Once consultation closed, we analysed the submissions and reviewed our technical assessment.
The consultation for the proposed speed limit changes is not a vote. It is about seeking valuable local and community input so that we can consider wider factors and context in our decisions.
For more information about how we reached these decisions, please read our consultation summary report.
Consultation summary [PDF, 576 KB]
Learn more about the speed review process
Setting new speed limits is a legal process, and Waka Kotahi as a Road Controlling Authority (RCA) is responsible for setting new speed limits on New Zealand’s state highways. We are guided by the Speed Management Guide, which is a national framework that helps RCAs make informed, accurate and consistent speed management decisions in their communities. We also need to adhere to the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of the RCAs for reviewing and setting speed limits.
Speed Management Guide [PDF, 7.4 MB]
Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017
When do the speed limit changes come into effect and how are the public being notified?
The new speed limits take effect on Monday 7 September 2020.
The public will be notified of the new permanent speed limits on the Transport Agency website, through local advertising, and on social media. The public will see the new speed limit signs up from 7 September 2020.
How many crashes have happened on the route?
There have been 449 crashes on this stretch of road in the last ten years (2009-2018). Seven people died and 57 people were seriously injured.
A small change in speed makes a big difference, especially when cyclists or pedestrians are involved. Most crashes are caused by a number of contributing factors, but even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed.
Won’t the new lower speed limits mean the trip will take a lot longer?
The permanent speed limits will have a minimal impact on travel times. Over the 7.74km route from Kumeu to Waimauku, the increase in travel time will be approximately 20 seconds.
Did you consult with the public on these changes?
Yes. In October and November 2019 we formally consulted with the public on the proposed permanent speed limits. We received 200 submissions from stakeholder organisations and the public.
Consultation summary [PDF, 576 KB]
Consultation submissions [PDF, 1.1 MB]
What is happening with safety and other improvements in this area?
We are committed to addressing safety concerns on State Highway 16 Brigham Creek to Waimauku as the area continues to grow. While reviewing current speed limits is something we can do now to address safety concerns, we are also making State Highway 16 safer with improvements to the road that we will deliver in stages.
Find out more about the improvements
The focus of these improvements is to improve safety in the short term, ahead of other long-term projects that need a lot more time for consenting and planning processes. This safety improvements project is the first part of a bigger package of work aimed at addressing growth and congestion in Auckland’s north west. This programme of work is called Supporting Growth.
