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Waikato

Update on speed management

Following the Minister of Transport’s announcement confirming the new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024, NZTA will identify how the Rule may impact speeds on its network.

NZTA as road controlling authority for state highways will work through what the new rule means for each region and will provide further information in the coming weeks.

Government delivers sensible approach to speed limits(external link)

Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024

In December 2023, the Minister of Transport Hon Simeon Brown confirmed that work was underway to develop a new Land Transport Rule for setting speed limits. In anticipation of the new Rule, we paused work on our speed management plans.

As information on the proposed 2024 Rule has been released, we have been working through what it means for speed limit proposals within the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan. In some cases, we have been progressing selected proposals to approval separately to the Plan.

Approval and implementation for some proposals may progress ahead of others due to consideration against the intent of the new Rule, confirmation of funding for delivery, and other internal processes. We may pause activity where there are potential conflicts with the new Rule until we have more clarity.

We will provide updates on outstanding proposals after decisions have been made via our website and notify people who provided feedback on the proposals during consultation.

Beehive media release - 12 December 2023: Government changes speed limit rules(external link)

Proposed speed limits in Waikato

Following our analysis and conversations with partners, interested groups and organisations, we proposed the following new speed limits in the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan:

Speed limit map

Map showing locations of proposed speed limit changes in Waikato

View larger map and speed limit tables [PDF, 3.3 MB]

Speed limit tables 

  • Speed limits around schools
    State highway School Existing speed limit (km/h)
    *variable    		 Proposed new speed limit (km/h)
    *variable
    1 Karāpiro School 100 100/≤60*
    1 Bishop Edward Gaines Catholic School 60 60/30*
    1 Amisfield School 80 80/30*
    1 Te Kura o Waitahanui 60 60/30*
    1C Hillcrest Normal School 50 50/30*
    1/27 Tīrau Primary School 50 50/30*
    2 Maramarua School 70 70/30*
    2 Ngātea School 50 40/30*
    2 Hauraki Plains College 50 40/30*
    2 Netherton School 100 100/≤60*
    2 St Joseph's School 50 50/30*
    2 St Joseph's Catholic School (Paeroa) 50 50/30*
    3 Ōhaupō School 70 70/≤60*
    3 Kio Kio School 100 100/≤60*
    23 Frankton School 50 50/30*
    24 Matamata Primary School 50/40* 40/30*
    25 Waitakaruru School 70 60/30*
    25 Kopuarahi School 100 100/≤60*
    25 Tapu School 50 50/30*
    25 Te Rerenga School 80 80/30*
    25 Coroglen School 100 100/30*
    25 Tairua School 50 50/30*
    25 Waihī East School 50 50/30*
    26 Berkley Normal Middle School 50 50/30*
    26 Newstead Model Country School 80 80/≤60*
    26 OneSchool Global - Waikato Campus 100 100/≤60*
    26 Motumaoho School 100 100/≤60*
    26 St Joseph's Catholic School (Te Aroha) 50 50/30*
    26 Te Aroha Primary School 50 50/30*
    26 Tirohia School 100 100/30*
    26 Paeroa College 50 50/30*
    26 Hikutaia School 70 70/30*
    26 Matatoki School 70 70/30*
    27 Kaihere School 100 100/≤60*
    27 Tatuanui School 70 70/≤60*
    27 Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha 100 100/≤60*
    27 Matamata College 50 50/30*
    29 Te Poi School 70 60/30*
    29 Hinuera School 70 70/30*
    30 Upper Ātiamuri School 100 100/≤60*
    31 Ōtorohanga South School 50 50/30*
    32 Tokoroa Intermediate 50 50/30*
    32 Tokoroa High School 50 50/30*
    32 Marotiri School 100 100/≤60*
    39 Whatawhata School 70 50/30*
    39 Ngāhinapōuri School 70 60/30*
    41 Kuratau School 100 100/30*
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  • Speed limits around marae
    State highway Marae Existing speed limit (km/h) Proposed new speed limit (km/h)
    *variable
    27 Raungaiti Marae 100 80/≤60 variable*
    29 Ūkaipō Marae 100 90/≤60 variable*
    39 Pūrekireki Marae 100 100/≤60 variable*
    46 Pāpākai Marae 100 100/≤60 variable*
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  • Other speed limits
    State highway Reference number (refer to map) Location Description Existing speed limit (km/h) Proposed new speed limit (km/h)
    *variable
    1 1 Tokoroa urban Through township, to align with speed limits at Bishop Edward Gaines Catholic School 80 60
    1 2 Waitahanui north Extension of 60km/h speed zone at north end of Waitahanui 100 60
    1 3 Waitahanui south Extension of 60km/h speed zone at south end of Waitahanui 100 60
    2 1 SH25 to Mangatarata On SH2, from SH25 intersection to SH27 Various 80
    2 2 Ngātea west Western approach to Ngātea 70 60
    2 3 Ngātea urban From Pipiroa Road to River Road 50 40
    2 4 Ngātea east River Road to east of Piako River bridge 70 60
    2 5 Hauraki Road to Paeroa N/A 100 90
    2 6 Paeroa main street Near Station Road to south of Te Aroha Road 50 40
    2 7 Paeroa to Karangahake South end of Paeroa to Albert Street near Karangahake Gorge Various 90
    2 8 Karangahake to Waikino Near Albert Street (near Karangahake Gorge) to west of Waitawheta Road 80 60
    2 9 Waikino to Waihī West of Waitawheta Road to near Orchard Road (Waihī) Various 80
    2 10 Waihī - Seddon Street Near Orchard Road (Waihī) to near Martin Road 70 60
    2 11 Waihī to regional boundary Waihī (Ohinemuri River bridge) to regional boundary with Bay of Plenty 100 90
    3 1 Te Kawa Road intersection speed zone (ISZ) On SH3, approaching intersection with Te Kawa Road 100 100/60*
    5 1 Waimangu Road intersection speed zone (ISZ) On SH5, approaching intersection with Waimangu Road 100 100/60*
    23 1 Te Uku to Raglan   100 80
    23 2 Te Uku urban Near Te Uku Wind Farm lookout to west of Ōkete Road 80 60
    23 3 Whatawhata to Te Uku   100 80
    23 4 Whatawhata urban Near Store Road to west of Whatawhata bridge 80 60
    23 5 Temple View to Whatawhata Near Wallace Road to near Store Road (Whatawhata) 100 80
    24 1 Matamata urban Matamata CBD, from the roundabout to near Price Terrace 50 40
    24 2 Mangawhero Road East of Earl Road to east of Rockford Street 70 60
    24 3 Tauranga Road East of Rockford Street to the SH29 intersection 100 80
    25 1 Waitakaruru urban Waitakaruru township 70 60
    25 2 Orongo to Kōpū West of Orongo Road to near the Kōpū roundabout 100 80
    25 3 Waihī north To align with speed limits at Waihī East School 70 50
    25A 1 Kōpū-Hikuai Road SH26 (Paeroa Kōpū Road) to SH25 (Tairua Road) 100 80
    26 1 Ruakura interchange 60 Ruakura Road (between roundabouts) Waikato Expressway N/A 60
    26 2 Ruakura interchange 80 Ruakura Road (Interchange to Poto Lane) Waikato Expressway N/A 80
    27 1 Waharoa north From north end of Raungaiti to Waharoa 100 80
    27 2 Waharoa to Matamata N/A 100 80
    27 3 Matamata urban - Waharoa Road West From edge of Matamata urban to near Ratcliffe Street 70 50
    29 1 Te Poi urban Te Poi township 70 60
    29 2 Regional Boundary to Te Poi Southwest of Hanga Road to Te Poi 100 90
    29 3 Kaimai weather (Waikato) West of Soldiers Road to southwest of Hanga Road Various (100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50) depending on weather Various (90, 80, 70, 60, 50) depending on weather
    31 1 Kāwhia Road West end of Waipā River bridge to SH31/SH39 intersection 100 80
    31 2 Ōtorohanga 50 To align with speed limits at Ōtorohanga South School 100 50
    39 1 Whatawhata urban Near Store Road to west of Whatawhata bridge 70 50
    39 2 Whatawhata roundabout   80 60
    39 3 Tuhikaramea Road intersection speed zone (ISZ) On SH39, approaching intersection with Tuhikaramea Road 100 100/60*
    39 4 Ngāhinapōuri urban Ngāhinapōuri township 70 60
    39 5 McClure Street Pirongia urban, from Bellot Street to south of McClure Street 70 60
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Approved speed limits

The following speed limit has been approved by the Director of Land Transport. 

Due to the urgency of some speed limits related to specific operational needs, we have progressed the following section via an alternative process, separately from the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan.

View the latest update on the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan

State highway 

Reference number (refer to map) 

Location 

Previous speed limit (km/h) 
*variable 

New speed limit (km/h) 

Effective from 

25A

25A-1

Coromandel, between Kōpū and Hikuai 

100

80

19 February 2024 

Have your say

Consultation on the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan closed on 12 December 2022. 

View the latest update on this plan

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