Northland motorists lament lack of State Highway 1 progress in 'forgotten north'

Friday, 10 May 2019

Take a ride on State Highway 1, heading north to Whangārei, where the roadworks are causing congestion. Video first published April 2019.

Northland motorists believe a notorious stretch of State Highway 1 south of Whangārei has been forgotten when compared with other parts of the country.

An 80kmh speed limit has been introduced in the area on the 10km stretch from Maungakaramea Rd to Toetoe Rd.

The speed reduction will stay in place for two years while the SH1 Loop Road Safety Improvements – which included building a new roundabout – are completed.

State Highway 1, south of Whangārei, will be restricted to 80kmh until 2021 when the Loop Road roundabout is finished.

Motorists were less than impressed with the changes, with Portland resident Max Belcher comparing it to a sticking plaster for the busy road which has heavy congestion.

**READ MORE:

New Zealand Transport Agency's long-term plans for SH1, south of Whangārei, include a new road to the port.

* [80kmh speed limit 'like sticking plaster on disaster' highway south of Whangārei

](https://www.stuff.co.nz/northland/112326812/80kmh-speed-limit-like-sticking-plaster-on-disaster-highway-south-of-whangrei)* Multi-million dollar plans to improve notorious Northland highway announced

Median barriers and separated northbound and southbound traffic are part of the safety plans for SH1 south of Whangārei.

* [Crash causing heavy congestion on State Highway 1, south of Whangārei

](https://www.stuff.co.nz/northland/109915784/crash-causing-heavy-congestion-on-state-highway-1-south-of-whangrei?rm=m)* Two people are dead following a serious crash near Whangarei**

The road is also dangerous, with a high number of fatalities per kilometre. Police figures show there were 19 deaths, 51 serious injuries and 186 other injuries between Whangārei and Ruakaka in the 10 years to October 2018.

The crashes also cause significant delays to other motorists, with most detours not suitable for heavy freight vehicles. In just one year (2014-15), SH1 was closed 46 times between Whangārei and Te Hana, mainly due to serious incidents.

The NZ Transport Agency's plans for the road got a mixed reaction from drivers commenting on Neighbourly.

Many motorists lamented the fact plans to make the road four lanes from Te Hana to Whangārei were shelved in October. Instead, multi-million dollar improvements were announced, with the aim to cut the death rate by hundreds over the next 30 years.

Derek Butcher, from central Whangārei, said putting off the four-lane plans was 'a bad mistake', leaving Northland forgotten.

'Heaps of major road improvements [are] going on further south … but again the north misses out. A large bone of contention with me [in] the forgotten north.'

Butcher said SH1 was 80kmh virtually all the way north from the Johnstones Hill tunnels, apart from a few stretches.

Oliver Krollmann, from One Tree Point, said he would have loved SH1 to be four-laned between Whangārei and Te Hana.

'I'm convinced that it would have been the single most effective way to improve safety and reduce congestion, as well as to future-proof a transport route in and out of Northland,' he said.

Krollmann said he would be willing to pay a toll to make the road happen.

But he said he supported a lower speed limit, particularly around the construction site, until the road was safer.

'I'm already slowing down voluntarily to 90kmh and staying left on stretches with uphill passing lanes, to allow all those who are in a hurry to pass safely,' he said.

'It's not the silver bullet, either, I know that, but I'm happy to support whatever meaningful improvements we can get at this stage.'

However, John Day, from Whangārei Heads, said lower speed limits were not the answer to problems on the highway.

'Changing traffic speeds only causes a longer tail.'

Day said the volume of traffic was far larger now and the road needed to be built appropriately to cope with that increase in vehicles.

SAFETY FOCUS FOR WORK

NZ Transport Agency acting senior project delivery manager Karen Boyt said proposed safety measures on SH1 south of Whangārei would save 280 deaths and serious injuries over 30 years - an 80 per cent reduction.

The short to medium-term work included eliminating sharp bends, providing safe opportunities for passing, and separating northbound and southbound traffic.

Other safety improvements included better signs and road markings, flexible median barriers and widened centre lines, Boyt said.

The roundabout at the Loop Rd and improvements to the Portland Rd intersection was one example of work underway to improve safety, access and resilience for all road users on SH1. The work helps heavy freight turning on to and off the highway.

Another aim of the improved road was to cut travel times and increase the average travel speed from 76kmh to 89kmh.

But, when asked if SH1 south of Whangārei had been forgotten when compared with the work done in other regions, Boyt said all work depended on funding and nationwide priorities.

SH1 from Te Hana to Whangārei was one of 12 road corridors re-evaluated in 2018 to align with Government policy.

'The Transport Agency does not have unlimited funding so has to prioritise the work it undertakes,' she said.

Approval for and the timing of all work depends on funding availability and other nationwide funding priorities.