Manawatū Gorge alternative route set for speed limit cut

Thursday, 26 July 2018

The speed limit on the Saddle Rd may be permanently lowered from 100kmh to as low as 60kmh in some places.

The alternative route to the closed Manawatū Gorge road may have its speed permanently reduced as low as 60kmh in places.

The move has backing from both the AA and regular users of the windy route.

The Saddle Rd has been the substitute State Highway 3 since large landslips fell on the road through the gorge in April 2017, leading to its indefinite closure.

While New Zealand Transport Agency works on a new route, with construction set to start in 2020, the Saddle Rd has had to handle an extra 5000 vehicles a day.

* Ashhurst may get traffic lights to handle Manawatū Gorge traffic

* Geological testing starts on Manawatū Gorge replacement route

* Alternative to Manawatū Gorge is 6 years away**

The Saddle Rd used to be 100kmh all the way, but the speed was lowered in August to 80kmh at either end, and 60kmh near the top.

Agency highway manager Ross I'Anson said the lower limits were emergency speed limits that could only be in place for a year, meaning they end in less than a month without further action.

The Saddle Rd became the substitute State Highway 3 between Manawatū and Hawke's Bay in 2017.

The agency was asking for feedback from people on if the limit should stay lower for the foreseeable future.

The limits were put in place to slow down drivers who went especially fast on the road, which had blind corners, few passing lanes and was in poor condition due to the significant level of traffic on it, I'Anson said.

'It has slowed most of them down, so it is much safer.'

There were some especially sharp corners where cars could easily roll if they went too fast, he said.

The speed was 60kmh near the top to make it safer for tourist buses taking people to the wind-farm lookout.

Manawatū AA district chairman Garry Goodman said the agency had consulted with the association, which was comfortable with the proposal.

There should be a change at the Ashhurst end of the road though, where there was a long 50 kmh stretch before getting into Ashhurst proper, he said.

'We think it is excessively slow. It's not a sensible speed limit.'

The association would like it to be increased to 80kmh outside the town, he said.

Woodville residents at an information session about the gorge on Wednesday supported the limit staying lower.

Roadworks along much of the Saddle Rd makes it tricky to hit the current temporary speed limit of 80kmh at times, let alone the former limit of 100kmh.

Gavin Welsh, who drives the Saddle Rd at least three times a week, said 80kmh was about as fast as people could drive on the road.

Although it was in better condition than it was a year ago, there were still rough sections of road in need of repair work, he said.

He was slightly frustrated at the 60kmh section, as it was the easiest bit of road to drive.

Courtesy from truck drivers went a long way to making the drive easier, he said.

'I've had one pull over in an area where they could stop – it wasn't a passing lane – to let people pass.

'Others don't move over and go fast when there are passing lanes.'

Fiona Nesbit also supported the speed staying low.

'I don't see how you can do 100kmh over there at any time.'

Alex Devonshire said waiting behind trucks or having to go at 60kmh instead of 100kmh was not the end of the world.

'I can understand their impatience and frustration, but what the hell?'

There were worse commutes, such as driving into central Auckland, he said.

For more information about how to submit on the Saddle Rd speed limit, see nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh3-manawatu-gorge.