Highway speed limit near Nelson will drop

Thursday, 13 December 2018

The scene of a crash in August on State Highway 60 near McShane Rd.

Drivers travelling along a deadly stretch of State Highway 60, near Nelson, will have to take their foot off the gas a little from this Tuesday.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has announced it will drop the speed limit from 100kmh to 80kmh along the section of SH60 between Maisey and McShane roads, just out of Richmond, on December 18.

At the same time as the highway speed limit change comes into effect, lower limits will also apply on several Tasman District Council roads around that section of SH60.

The increasingly busy 100kmh section of SH60 has been the site of multiple fatal and serious crashes in recent years.

The scene of a three-vehicle crash in January along the Appleby Highway section of SH60.

* Lower speed limit of 80kmh signalled for high accident stretch of Nelson highway

* NZTA, Tasman District Council drive State Highway 60 speed limit review plans**

'Over the three years from 2015 to 2017, there were 12 crashes where eight people died and 12 people were seriously injured on these roads,' says NZTA director regional relationships Jim Harland.

'Reducing the speed limits will improve safety, and help make those crashes that do happen survivable.

'Making one mistake on the road should not end a life. The lives changed when someone dies or is seriously injured on our roads extends to family and friends and impacts upon the whole community,' he said.

'Even when speed doesn't cause the crash, it will determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed.

'Higher speeds increase the risk of making mistakes, reduce time available to react and increase braking time, making severe crashes more likely.'

As well as being a key commuter route for Nelson-Tasman residents, many visitors travel along it to reach popular tourist destinations such as Kaiteriteri, Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay.

The changes received support from the local community, police, the Road Transport Association and the Automobile Association, as well as Tasman District Council and the Transport Agency, Harland said.

Speed limit changes on council roads, due to come into effect at the same time, mean the 100kmh section of Lower Queen St along with Lansdowne Rd, Best Island Rd, Blackbyre Rd, Redwood Rd, Research Orchard Rd and Pukeko Lane will drop to 80kmh while Barnett Ave and River Rd will be lowered to 60kmh.

For background on the project and maps on the roads involved, go to https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh60-speed-limit-consultation/