Why do you want to do a speed review?
- The crash history shows that between 2009 and 2018 there were 882 crashes on this stretch of road with 17 people killed, and 104 seriously injured.
- There are a number of safety issues with these state highways that have been raised by the community.
- Petitions have been received by Waka Kotahi in the review area.
- Engagement was carried out with the Whatawhata Residents and Ratepayers Association as part of the Safe Roads projects on SH23. The Association has recently requested action at the SH23/SH39 intersection, saying their residents are “petrified”. Speed management will make some difference to safety through Whatawhata while longer term options are being worked through and funded, such as a roundabout.
- Waka Kotahi had conversations with councillor Noel Smith and Glen McLennan in April 2020 in relation to the community’s safety concerns at the SH23/SH39 intersection at Whatawhata. Waka Kotahi has undertaken a technical assessment of the intersection, which includes reviewing the intersection risks and identifying safety interventions to improve the safety of the intersection. The technical assessment recommended a preferred safety intervention to improve the overall safety of the intersection - the recommendation is a single lane roundabout. Waka Kotahi is currently reviewing the assessment to ensure it meets the objectives of the New Zealand road safety strategy, Road to Zero 2020-2030. If approved, the recommended project would then progress through a funding prioritisation process to determine where this project would sit on the National Land Transport Programme.
What are the steps involved in speed reviews?
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.
We are now proceeding to engage with the communities who regularly use these highways.
The feedback we receive from engagement will help to determine if and what we will formally consult on for speed limit changes. If we go to consultation, we ask the community and road users for submissions on any external factors that we may need to be aware of. The consultation period normally runs for a minimum of 4 weeks. Once consultation closes, we analyse the submissions and review our technical assessment.
Neither the engagement or consultation processes on the proposed speed limit changes are a vote, they are to seek valuable local and community input so that we can consider wider factors and context into our decisions.
Learn 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.
Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017
How many crashes have happened on the route?
There have been 882 crashes on this stretch of road in the last ten years (2009 – 2018). 17 people have died and 104 people received serious injuries.
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 highways are you now discussing with the communities?
|
State Highway |
Physical Description of Location |
Length (km) |
Posted Speed Limit |
Mean Operating Speeds |
Road environment |
Fatalities (2009-2018) |
Serious Injuries (2009-2018) |
Total Number of Crashes (2009-2018) |
|
|
23 |
Hamilton West (Dinsdale) to Whatawhata From 580 m west of Wallace Road to 100 m east of Store Road |
6.455 |
100 |
82 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including roll-over slopes, unprotected powerpoles and steep drop offs. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
2 |
8 |
64 |
|
|
23 |
Whatawhata From 100 m east of Store Road to 230 m west of SH39 (to the western end of the bridge) |
0.752 |
80 |
77 |
Two-lane two-way undivided corridor through the rural town of Whatawhata. Increased presence of vulnerable road users; pedestrians are known to cross and walk alongside SH23. There have been a number of crashes at the SH23/SH39 intersection, a lower speed limit may decrease crash severity rate here |
0 |
4 |
34 |
|
|
23 |
Whatawhata to Four Brothers Reserve From 230 m west of SH39 (the western end of the bridge) to 2300 m (2.3 km) west of Glen Tui Lane |
8.634 |
100 |
82 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including roll-over slopes, unprotected powerpoles and steep drop offs. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
1 |
8 |
81 |
|
|
23 |
Four Brothers Reserve to East of Cogswell Road From 2300 m (2.3 km) west of Glen Tui Lane to 820 m east of Cogswell Road |
3.482 |
100 |
75 |
Winding, mostly two-lane two-way undivided corridor, with some slow vehicle bays. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including steep drop offs. |
0 |
5 |
38 |
|
|
23 |
East of Cogswell Road to Te Uku From 820 m east of Cogswell Road to 410 m east of Okete Road |
9.791 |
100 |
77 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including roll-over slopes, unprotected powerpoles and steep drop offs. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
1 |
9 |
65 |
|
|
23 |
Te Uku From 410 m east of Okete Road to 180 m west of Okete Road |
0.589 |
80 |
82 |
Two-lane two-way undivided corridor through the rural town of Te Uku. Increased presence of vulnerable road users. Te Uku School is within this section and hasdirect access onto the highway. Increased roadside activity and turning manoeuvres due to roadside petrol station and café. |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
|
23 |
Te Uku to 400 m East of Greenslade Road From 180 m west of Okete Road to 400 m east of Greenslade Road |
8.203 |
100 |
85 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including roll-over slopes, unprotected powerpoles and steep drop offs. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
0 |
12 |
73 |
|
|
23 |
400 m East of Greenslade Road to Manukau Road |
1.629 |
100 |
72 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor with narrow shoulders. Number of accessways, intersections and a bus stop within this section. Approximately 500 m east of Raglan township; due to the development on Greenslade Road and growth of Raglan, the future function of this road is expected to be Rural Residential. |
0 |
6 |
21 |
|
|
31 |
Otorohanga to the SH31/SH39 Junction From 120 m west of Mair Street to the SH31/SH39 Junction |
12.897
|
100 |
80 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including roll-over slopes, unprotected powerpoles and steep drop offs. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
2 |
8 |
112 |
|
|
|
SH31/SH39 Junction to just west of Te Rauamoa (Te Kauri Stream Bridge) From the SH31/SH39 Junction to 190 m west of Taylor Road (Te Kauri Stream Bridge) |
16.805 |
100 |
80 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Very narrow shoulders and road side hazards including roll-over slopes, unprotected powerpoles and steep drop offs. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
0 |
5 |
23 |
|
|
31 |
Tortuous Section from Te Kauri Stream Bridge to 2 km East of Harbour Road |
9.977 |
100 |
65 |
Winding, two-lane two-way undivided corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including steep drop offs. Some accessways within this section. |
0 |
2 |
7 |
|
|
31 |
2 km East of Harbour Road to Kawhia From 2 km east of Harbour Road to Jervois Street Kawhia |
16.439 |
100 |
72 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Very narrow shoulders and road side hazards including roll-over slopes, unprotected powerpoles and steep drop offs. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
1 |
7 |
31 |
|
|
39 |
Te Kowhai to Whatawhata From 30 m north of Fullerton Road to 270 m south of Cemetery Road |
3.753 |
100 |
82 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Shoulder width varies. Road side hazards including unprotected powerpoles. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
0 |
4 |
27 |
|
|
39 |
Whatawhata From 270 m south of Cemetery Road to 320 south of SH23 |
1.838 |
70-80 |
60 |
Two-lane two-way undivided corridor through the rural town of Whatawhata. Increased presence of vulnerable road users; pedestrians are known to cross and walk alongside SH39. Large number of accessways directly onto the state highway within this section. There have been a number of crashes at the SH23/SH39 intersection, a lower speed limit may decrease crash severity rate here |
0 |
4 |
48 |
|
|
39 |
Whatawhata to Ngahinapouri From 320 south of SH23 to 690 m north of Ngahinapouri Road |
12.046 |
100 |
87 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including unprotected powerpoles. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
7 |
9 |
98 |
|
|
39 |
Ngahinapouri From 690 m north of Ngahinapouri Road to 90 m south of Ngahinapouri Road |
0.780 |
|
77 |
Two-lane two-way undivided corridor through the rural town of Tihiroa and Ngahinapouri. Increased presence of vulnerable road users; Ngahinapouri is within this section and has direct access onto the highway. Large number of accessways directly onto the state highway within this section. |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
|
39 |
Ngahinapouri to Pirongia From 90 m south of Ngahinapouri Road to 50 m north of Kane Street |
11.816 |
100 |
87 |
Two-way two-lane undivided curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including unprotected powerpoles and some roll-over slopes. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
1 |
9 |
78 |
|
|
39 |
Pirongia South From Bellot Street to 960 m south of Mcclure Street (just north of the bridge) |
1.583 |
70 |
62 |
Two-lane two-way flush median corridor through the southern extent of the rural town of Pirongia. Increased presence of vulnerable road users and a large number of accessways directly onto the state highway within this section. |
1 |
1 |
6 |
|
|
39 |
Pirongia South to the SH31/39 Junction From 960 m south of Mcclure Street (just north of the bridge) to the SH31/39 junction |
12.574 |
100 |
87 |
Two-way two-lane undivided mostly curved corridor. Narrow shoulders and road side hazards including unprotected powerpoles and some roll-over slopes. A number of intersections and accessways within this section. |
1 |
3 |
64 |
