Multi-million dollar plans to improve notorious Northland highway announced
Thursday, 25 October 2018
New highways and extensive safety upgrades are the main focus of a multi-million dollar project to improve a notorious stretch of road in Northland.
The New Zealand Transport Agency revealed its plans to improve the highway between Whāngārei and Te Hana on Wednesday.
The upgrades aimed to cut the high death rate by hundreds over the next 30 years, NZTA's Brett Gliddon said.
Police figures show there had been 19 deaths, 51 serious injuries 186 other injuries on the stretch of road between Whāngārei and Ruakaka in the last 10 years.
The most recent was this Labour weekend where two people were killed at Oakleigh near Whangarei.
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'To begin with we will deliver short term safety improvements between Whāngārei and Port Marsden Highway [SH15A] to make it safer.'
That included improvements to roadside barriers, median barriers, centre line widening and road marking, Gliddon said.
While this was going on, a new, safer route between Whāngārei and SH15A would be devised to run alongside the current route.
Next, the stretch between Port Marsden Highway and Te Hana would be upgraded.
Alternate routes or a bypass around the Brynderwyn Hills were also on the cards.
Under the previous government, the agency planned to expand part of the highway to four lanes starting in 2019.
Both Whangarei MP Dr Shane Reti and Northland MP Matt King says they are disappointed at the changes.
'This falls well short of the four lane highway Northlanders want and need to be safe and to prosper,' Reti says.
Both MPs say no funding has been allocated for the proposed new conventional road, nor has any definitive time frame been given.
'The Whangarei to Marsden section of SH1 has the highest number of deaths per km of any of the recent 10 policing hotspots,' Reti says.
'The four lane highway is a key part to an integrated transport system for Northland that includes rail, air and sea.'
'This decision is at odds with what most Northlanders want including the three mayors, business leaders and the business community,' King says.
Whangarei mayor Sheryl Mai says, 'We appreciate the work the NZTA has put into these plans and the work they continue to do within the constraints of Government policy.
'It is vital that investment in transport infrastructure in our region is prioritised, to prevent the on-going loss of life caused by crashes on our roads.
'We need a safe, efficient transport system that allows the commerce of the region to operate as efficiently as in other parts of the country and is fit for purpose for all road users.'