Speed limit around Auckland's Waterview Tunnel fixed at 80kmh until early 2018

Tuesday, 7 November 2017

Drone footage taken between 7.30am and 8am looks at the impact on traffic of the opening of the Waterview Tunnel in 2017.

Auckland motorists will have to wait a few more months to drive at pre-existing speed limits around the Waterview Tunnel.

In September, NZTA announced it would raise the variable speed limit to 100kmh on sections approaching the $1.4 billion tunnel complex.

However, it will remain fixed at 80kmh until early next year.

Many Auckland motorists have been frustrated by the 80kmh sections surrounding the tunnel complex, which were 100kmh before its construction.

The tunnel's authority said additional infrastructure and a legal processes had to be completed before the limit approaching the tunnels could rise again to allow maximum speeds of 100kmh.

**READ MORE:

Speed limits on approaches to the Waterview Tunnel won't be raised until early 2018.

* Speed limit surrounding Waterview Tunnel to rise to 100kmh

When there were road works earlier this year some motorists weren’t sticking to the limit.

* Speeding in Auckland's Waterview Tunnel cost commuters nearly $1 million in just six weeks

* Auckland's Waterview Tunnel slicing commute times

* AA says speed limit on approaches to Waterview Tunnel should rise to 100kmh

* Driving at 80kmh like being 'a rock in a river'**

Brett Gliddon, NZ Transport Agency's system design manager, said the process to allow the speed limit around the tunnels to lift to 100kmh was underway and due to be completed early next year.

'That process is now underway and the first stage is expected to be in place in the first quarter of next year,' said Brett Gliddon, NZ Transport Agency system design manager.

Speed limits inside the tunnels would remain at 80kmh indefinitely, he said, to manage the higher risks associated with an enclosed tunnel environment.

Speed limits in the tunnels would remain at 80kmh indefinitely.

The 2.4km dual tunnel system was opened on July 2, as part of the 48km Western Ring Route providing a link between State Highways 16 and 20.

In the first six weeks after it opened, $1 million in fines were issued to 10,000 motorists caught speeding inside the tunnels.

The much-anticipated Waterview Connection was opened on July 2, 2017.

Speed limits around the T-junction encompassing the tunnels from Mt Roskill in the south, Rosebank Rd in the west and Spaghetti Junction towards the east, were fixed at 80kmh, frustrating motorists.

The slower speed zone was in place initially to allow motorists to get used to the new road layout but meant that motorists travelling along the north-western had to slow down to 80kmh, even when not using the tunnel.

Among those frustrated by the lowered speed limit was Auckland resident Bradley Scales who launched a petition to get speed limit back up to 100kmh – where it was before the billion-dollar tunnel roadworks began.

Scales celebrated with a cold beer when NZTA announced it would raise the speed limit in September, wrapping up the petition at 13,981 signatures,

A Stuff quiz showed that 80 per cent of people thought the speed limit on approach to the Waterview Tunnel should be raised to 100kmh.

On Tuesday, Gliddon said speed limits around the tunnels were set to become 'variable speed limits' in early 2018.

'Variable means that the maximum legal speed limit will be set depending on the driving conditions and traffic volumes at the time.'

He said 100kmh would be the maximum, but that limit could be changed back down to 80kmh, for example, if necessary.

However, additional physical infrastructure such as signage and gantries were needed before the new variable speed limits could be put in place.

Gliddon said NZTA also needed to undergo a legal process before the limits could be changed.

But despite the changes planned for the roads approaching the tunnels, the limit inside would remain at 80kmh.

'The impact and consequences of an incident inside a tunnel can be more significant which is why it's important people follow the sign posted speed limit,' Gliddon said.

Speed limits were enforced by police.

An average of 60,000 vehicles use the tunnel each day.

NZTA data showed the tunnel had on average one traffic incident a day in its first three months of operation; a majority being breakdowns or vehicles stopping in the tunnel.

The $1.4 billion tunnels have been widely praised for the time shaved off commuter journeys, including time savings of about 20 minutes between the Auckland CBD and Auckland International Airport.