Between 2009 and 2018, 25 people died and 66 seriously injured on this stretch of SH2 between Waihī and Ōmokoroa. Most crashes were caused by running off the road, head-on collisions and intersection crashes. The improvements being made are proven to save lives and reduce risk of crashes.
We're making State Highway 2 (SH2) between Waihī and Ōmokoroa safer and more efficient for everyone who uses this increasingly busy road. Work to improve this 40km corridor, including road and shoulder widening, installing a wide centreline, flexible road safety barriers in high-risk areas, and intersection improvements, has been underway since 2019.
There are over 15,000 vehicles travelling this highway every day. Each crash has the potential to impact highway traffic flow for several hours. As well as save lives and prevent crash trauma, these safety upgrades will result in fewer crashes which will mean the highway is more efficient and can support productivity and economic growth in the area.
The design solutions and improvements we’ve investigated and selected for SH2 will mean the road will be more forgiving if someone makes a mistake, with crashes less likely to be serious.
Each serious crash has huge impacts on the people involved, their families, emergency services and the health sector. As well as saving lives and preventing crash trauma, these upgrades would result in fewer crashes which would mean the highway is more efficient and can support productivity and economic growth in the region.
To improve this stretch of road we are:
These improvements will save lives, improve efficiency, and raise the safety rating of the state highway.
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SH2 Waihī to Tauranga programme business case Funding announcement - $520m funding injection for key Tauranga route | Beehive.govt.nz(external link) |
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2017 |
Design and public consultation on safety improvements Consents lodged |
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2018 |
Construction begins on safety improvements – the 40km stretch of SH2 is split into 10 sections |
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2019 |
Heath Road to Trig Road – one of 10 sections completed |
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2020 |
Trig Road to Mathers Road, Mathers Road to Athenree Gorge, and Wharawhara Road to Sharp Road – 4 of 10 sections completed |
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2021 |
Kauri Point Road to Lindemann Road, and Wainui South Road to Esdaile Road – 6 of 10 sections completed Further consultation on flexible median barrier and intersection upgrades takes place |
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2022 |
Funding confirmed for the installation of flexible median barrier and six intersection upgrades to provide safe turnaround points, under the Road to Zero programme. Sharp Road to Sargent Drive – 7 of 10 sections completed Athenree Road to Tanners Point Road – 8 of 10 sections completed Roundabout at Rea Road and Tetley Road – completed Roundabout at Morton Road – under construction |
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2023 |
Nine of 10 sections completed – Tanners Point Road to Kauri Point Road complete, this marks the completion of the initial contract work north of Katikati (work needed to be done ahead of considering the installation of median barriers). |
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2024 |
Sharp Road roundabout – completed |
| 2025 |
Apata Station Road roundabout – estimated completion early-2025 |
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2026* |
Intersection upgrades due to complete (currently being programmed, *subject to change) |
