Kāpiti Expressway gets 110kmh speed limit, Transmission Gully may be next

Tuesday, 3 September 2024

The Kāpiti Expressway gets a higher speed limit from November.

Motorists on the Kāpiti Expressway will be able to drive at 110kmh from November, after the community made it clear it wanted the limit increased, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

Brown noted that there had been no deaths on the road, since it opened in December 2022.

Speaking at a press conference in Ōtaki on Tuesday, Brown signalled that the speed limit on Transmission Gully was also likely to increase.

“Absolutely, I would love to see Transmission Gully operating at that speed limit (110kmh) as well.”

The expressway, designated a Road of National Significance (RoNS) by the Government, was designed and constructed to a high safety standard, Brown said.

The change from the 100kmh speed limit would reduce travel times for people travelling in and out of Wellington, he said.

“Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. Today’s confirmation of a 110kmh speed limit on this key RoNS will result in reduced travel times and increased efficiency on the network.

“Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy,” says Transport Minister Simeon Brown. (file photo)

“The Mackays to Peka Peka and Peka Peka to Ōtaki RoNS, which make up the Kāpiti Expressway, were started by the previous National government and were designed and constructed to a high safety standard. Since these roads opened, no one has died in a crash.”

The 110kmh will apply to 24.5 km of the state highway from north of the Poplar Avenue at Raumati interchange to south of the Ōtaki northern interchange, and is expected to be operational by the end of November 2024, he said.

In its public consultation, the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi received 3313 submissions, 93% of them in support of the new speed limit.

Brown said that he was confident the Kāpiti Expressway was safe for all users including cyclists.

Safety was “paramount”, the expressway had been built to cope with a speed limit of 110kmh and locals had made it clear that is what they wanted.

“It is all part of this Government’s plan to accelerate New Zealand.”

Ōtaki MP Tim Costley said he supported the new speed limit. “This is what the community wanted, it was really clear, as the minister said. It is great news for our region.”

On Tuesday, Waka Kotahi opened public consultation on new proposals for 110kmh speed limits on three other expressways: the Northern Gateway Toll Road, the Puhoi to Warkworth RoNS, and the Christchurch Southern Motorway RoNS.