Last updated: 12 April 2021
SH60 Paines Ford to Tākaka new permanent speed limit
- Why are you setting a new permanent speed limit when there is a temporary one for the busy season?
This section of State Highway 60 runs past the popular Paines Ford recreation area and the Golden Bay Community Health Centre. We’ve heard from the community that they are worried about the safety of the elderly, young children, tourists and visitors. We also know that people are regularly crossing the highway with limited visibility in places, making it harder to judge approaching traffic speeds.
Ensuring the speed limit is safe for everyone will help more vulnerable road users ie, walkers, cyclists, and elderly and young people. It will also help people accessing the state highway from side roads or driveways, ensuring they can safely turn on and off the road.
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- Why are you reducing speeds now the shared pathway is finished?
Construction of the new walking and cycling path in Tākaka is now complete. This provides a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists to access local attractions and necessities off the state highway. Together with a reduced speed limit, this will make SH60 safer for everyone.
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- Why did you extend the reduced speed past the original busy season speed zone?
We’ve heard from some of the community that they are worried about the safety of the elderly, young children, and visitors. We also know that people are regularly crossing the highway with limited visibility in places, making it harder to judge approaching traffic speeds.
Ensuring the speed limit is safe for everyone will help more vulnerable road users ie, walkers, cyclists, and elderly and young people. It will also help people accessing the state highway from side roads or driveways, ensuring they can safely turn on and off the road.
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- Why is the speed limit not being lowered to 60km/h or 70km/h?
Construction of the new walking and cycling path in Tākaka is now complete. Pedestrians and cyclists now have a separate and safer path to travel that is off the state highway.
Due to this new pathway and the surrounding road environment, 80km/h is the safe and appropriate speed for this stretch of highway.
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- Why did you have to set new speed limits?
Some members of the community requested we investigate the speed limits around Paines Ford as they wanted to see if the seasonal 80km/h could be made permanent.
Between 2009 and 2018 there were 10 crashes between Paines Ford and Tākaka, which left five people seriously injured.
This is a popular recreation spot with people parking near the road, and regular pedestrian and cyclist activity to and from Tākaka. Nearby is the Golden Bay Community Health Centre and SH60 intersections with Central Tākaka and Dodson Roads.
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- What are the new permanent speed limits?
A new permanent speed limit of 80km/h, reduced from 100km/h, will take effect on this stretch of road from 5 May 2021.
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- How were those limits decided?
We carried out a technical assessment of the route to help determine what the right speed should be – and how it lines up with the current speed limit.
We looked at the average speed vehicles are travelling on the road, the number of vehicles a day using the road, what is happening around the road in terms of housing, development, businesses, and other activity.
We believe the speed we are implementing is safe and appropriate and will help create a consistent speed environment that makes sense to drivers.
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- How many crashes have happened on the route?
Between 2009 and 2018 there were 10 crashes between Paines Ford and Tākaka, which left five people seriously injured.
Even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it’s what will most likely determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed from that crash. As your speed increases you have less time to react. When speeds are safe for the road, simple mistakes are less likely to end in tragedy.
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- How does speed affect road safety?
Speed can be the difference between a correctable mistake and a fatal error. Every extra km/h increases the likelihood of someone having a crash. Regardless of what causes a crash, speed always plays a part.
As a vehicle’s speed increases:
- the distance needed to stop increases
- there is a greater probability the driver will be unable to react in time if there is an unexpected change in road conditions
- there is a greater chance other road users will misjudge how fast that vehicle is travelling.
- Did you consult with the public on these changes?
Yes. In September 2020 we consulted with the public on the proposed permanent speed limits. We received 121 submissions. You can read our consultation summary and view the submissions in the links below:
Consultation summary [PDF, 316 KB]
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Consultation submissions [PDF, 2.7 MB]
- What is happening with safety and other improvements for Paines Ford and surrounding areas?
Repair works are ongoing on the Tākaka Hill road between Riwaka and Tākaka following the damaga caused from Cyclone Gita.
Speed limits on the rest of the route between Upper Tākaka and Paines Ford will be consulted on once we have spoken to the community about speeds and safety on the remaining sections of State Highway 60 in Golden Bay, and once the Tākaka Hill repair works are complete.
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- When do the speed limit changes come into effect and how are the public being notified?
The new speed limits take effect on 5 May 2021.
The public will be notified of the new permanent speed limits through the newspaper, on the radio, on the Waka Kotahi website, and on social media. The public will see the new speed limit signs up from 5 May 2021.
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