Community feedback sought on $30 million safety upgrade for crash-prone SH1 section

Friday, 12 May 2023

Proposed safety improvements for State Highway 1 between Timaru and St Andrews.

The South Canterbury community will soon get a chance to have their say on concept designs for a $30 million safety upgrade project for a dangerous stretch of State Highway 1 between Timaru and St Andrews.

In February, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency confirmed the project had entered the “detailed design phase” of the major safety upgrades.

The safety upgrade covers 12.5km between Timaru and St Andrews and is part of the $30m dedicated to improving the highway’s safety announced in September 2021 as part of the National Land Transport Programme.

Waka Kotahi director regional relationships James Caygill on Thursday said the team is now ready to share concept plans with people who regularly use the road, who live nearby or have interests in the area.

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An aerial view showing the crash-prone intersection of The Avenue, Pareora, and State Highway 1. (File photo)

“Hearing first-hand how people use the road helps us to refine the project design and ensure we develop the most appropriate safety solution for this 12.5km stretch of highway,” Caygill said.

“We’re keen to talk with people about how the safety upgrades will work and look at how we can smooth out travel and access for people. After that, we’ll get our team around the table again to consider whether the plan needs adjustments.

“These safety improvements are designed to significantly reduce harm to South Canterbury people and the many daily road users who travel south of Timaru. The purpose of getting community feedback is so the team can then go away and look at whether the balance is right between access and safety. Yes, some people will need to travel a bit further to be able to turn right onto the highway - maybe five minutes extra.”

A vehicle involved in a collision on State Highway 1 at Pareora on January 8, 2023.

The stretch of highway has long been considered dangerous and crash prone with a Waka Kotahi spokesperson saying it's been identified as a “high-risk section of highway”.

Caygill said how people driving agricultural vehicles will manage with the median barrier is something Waka Kotahi would investigate further with those affected.

A severely damaged SUV in a paddock alongside State Highway 1, just south of Pareora on January 10, 2023.

“Once we have that feedback, we can look at refining the plan,” he said.

He said in the past decade from 2013 and including 2023 to date, there have been five crashes which resulted in deaths and 16 which resulted in serious injury on the stretch of road.

One key area is near the township of Pareora, where there have been several major crashes over the past few years including fatal crashes in 2017 and 2018 and resulted in a petition calling for improved road layout and lower speed limits through the area.

Previous crashes include a milk tanker crashing off near the Craigie Rd intersection on August 21, 2021 and three vehicles involved in collision at the intersection with Pareora River Road on September 9, 2021.

In January 2021, firefighters had to cut a person free from a vehicle after two cars collided head-on and on December 16, 2022, a commercial bus crashed off the highway into a ditch at Salisbury.

The concept design features

Two new roundabouts suitable for heavy vehicles at Beaconsfield Rd and Pooke Rd. Roundabouts help to slow traffic, making it safer and easier to turn on and off the highway.
Installation of median barrier for most of the corridor, with breaks where appropriate.
Installation of side barrier along parts of the road to prevent run off-road crashes.
New safe turning facilities, including two turnaround bays – one for northbound traffic north of Craigie Rd and one for southbound traffic south of Bristol Rd
New U-turn facilities on Normanby Rd and on Galletlys Rd for both directions of traffic
Construction of right-turn bays at Pareora River Rd, Galletlys Rd and Lyall Rd intersections.
Intersection speed zones at Normanby Rd and at Pareora River Rd.

Caygill said until June, Waka Kotahi would be gathering and considering community feedback and finalising the design. From June to July consents and approvals will be sought from councils and they will be applying for construction funding and construction is anticipated to begin, subject to funding and timing, in 2024.

The community drop-in session will be held at Pareora Country Club on Queen St from 3.30pm – 6.30pm on Thursday, May 18.