Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has set new permanent speed limits on State Highway 5 and State Highway 30 in urban Rotorua.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is identifying roads where safer speed limits can make a big difference in saving lives, and where communities are calling for change. Both State Highway 5 (SH5) and State Highway 30 (SH30) in Rotorua, were identified.
Between 24 March and 21 April 2021 Waka Kotahi consulted with stakeholders and the public on proposed new speed limits for SH5 and SH30 in Rotorua.
We heard people say the current speeds on these roads were unsafe and they’d like to see more consistent speeds and some lowered. On SH5, people are concerned about the speed between Hemo Road roundabout and just south of the Waipā State Mill Road.
We have other projects in the area, including our work on the SH30 Eastern Corridor. We know there are other changes people want to see, like making some busy roads four lanes. Reviewing the speed doesn’t mean we can’t make other changes, but it is one of the best things we can do now so simple mistakes don’t end in tragedy.
We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely. To save lives and prevent serious injuries, we can set safer speed limits.
Implementing safer speed limits is key part of New Zealand’s road safety strategy, Road to Zero 2020-30, and the Safe System approach which acknowledges even responsible people sometimes make mistakes when driving and aims to minimise the impact of those errors. Any proposal to drop speed limits is driven by the need to improve safety and reduce harm for everyone who uses our roads.
Even when it’s not the cause of a crash, speed is the difference between someone being seriously injured, killed or unharmed.
The following speed limits were proposed during consultation and all but four will be set as the new permanent speed limits. The new permanent speed limits take effect from Monday 3 October 2022:
|
Location |
Location description |
Current speed limit (km/h) |
New speed limit (km/h) |
|
Old Taupō Road/Hemo Road |
SH5: 70m north of Malfroy Road (existing speed limit change point) to 258m southwest of the SH5/SH30 Old Taupō Road/Hemo Road roundabout. |
50,80 |
50 |
|
Waipā |
SH5: 258m southwest of the SH5/SH30 Old Taupō Road/Hemo Road roundabout to 400m south of Waipā State Mill Road. |
80, 100 |
80 |
|
SH5/SH30 roundabout – Tarawera Rd |
SH30: from the centre of the SH5/SH30 Old Taupō Road/Hemo Road roundabout to 100m northeast of Tarawera Road. |
80, 60, 50, 70 |
50 |
|
South of SH5/SH30 roundabout |
SH30: 193m southwest of the SH5/SH30 intersection to the SH5/SH30 intersection. |
80, 100 |
80 |
|
Whakarewarewa School variable school speed zone |
SH30: Whakarewarewa School electronic variable school speed zone, 50m west of McIntyre Avenue to 200m south of Scott Street intersection. |
50 |
50, 30 |
|
Tarawera Road – Coulter Road |
SH30: 100m northeast of Tarawera Road to 90m north of Coulter Road. |
60 |
No change |
|
Coulter Road – Alfred Road |
SH30: 90m north of Coulter Road to 185m north of Alfred Road. |
70 |
No change |
|
Alfred Road – Rotokawa Road |
SH30: 185m north of Alfred Road to 140m northeast of Rotokawa Road. |
80 |
No change |
|
SH30/SH30A intersection |
SH30A: 150m west of the SH30/SH30A intersection to the SH30A eastern termination point. |
70 |
50 |
When determining the proposed speed limits that we consulted on, we reviewed the speeds that people are currently driving on this road, as well as the road itself. The speed limits listed above were assessed to be the safe and appropriate speeds for the route.
As there will be no changes in the short term to road or roadside environment between Tarawera/Coulter Road and Rotokawa, the existing speed limits will remain. The speed limit will be reviewed when warranted, i.e. when future significant changes to road form or additional development adjacent to the state highway are made.
Find out more about the SH5 and SH30 permanent speed limits by reading the frequently asked questions.
Public consultation closed on 21 April 2021.
206 submissions were received during the consultation period from stakeholder organisations and the public.
You can view our consultation summary and the submissions:
More information about speed and the speed review process is available.
