Whatawhata folk backs plans for a big slow-down at crossroads
Saturday, 18 July 2026
Whatawhata residents are backing plans to lower speed limits through the village, saying the changes will improve safety at a busy intersection.
NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has opened a six-week public consultation on proposed speed limit changes across Waikato, including on State Highways 23 and 39 through Whatawhata.
The proposals include reducing speeds to 80kph on the rural approaches to the SH23/SH39 SH23/SH39 intersection and 50kph through part of the SH39 township.
The intersection, consisting of an offset crossroads with turning bays only in two places, has been the site of numerous crashes, including the 2023 death of 35-year-old Raglan man Thomas Wahanga.
Waikato Regional Councillor Noel Smith said he supports the “overall approach” and NZTA needs to “get on with it” .
The long-term goal is a roundabout at the intersection, Smith said.
His and Hers Espresso co-owner Garry Dyke also backed a roundabout, saying it would “slow down” traffic.
NZTA said it had considered other safety improvements for the intersection, including a roundabout, but “delivery depends on future funding”.
“In the meantime, a reduced speed limit supports safety and any future roundabout,” the road agency said.
Dyke said a separate bypass should be in place for traffic to get into the village.
“I’ve watched cars stop (on the highway) to come in. It’s really dangerous, so they should have a double access (lane) so they can come straight through to the garage.”
It means people wanting to go to the petrol station “can actually have access to go”.
Whatawhata Bakery owner Anna Lim said lowering the speed limit to 50kph through the village would make a difference, especially for pupils at nearby Whatawhata School.
“There’s a lot of kids after school that cross the road without parents.”
Lim said children often walked together after school.
“So if there's an accident, it's not one kid that will get hit, it will be a few.
Bernie Payton from Lilyz Closet, said she had heard of numerous crashes and believed the speed limit changes were needed, particularly at the intersection.
“They need to do something about the intersection too, because the intersection is just cracked.
“You have people waiting on the highway just to come across here, knowing full well there's cars coming there. When you’ve got a big truck and trailer, it’s no good.”
Payton, who travels the road and lives in her camper van behind the store, also supported reducing the speed limit to 50kph along SH39 between Mason and Store roads.
“Might hit the trucks, but that’s too bad.”
Next door at the Village Cafe, manager Sophia Smeenk said drivers regularly failed to stop at the intersection.
It’s an issue, especially for traffic turning right from SH39 Horotiu Rd to head to Raglan.
“You think you can go because that person coming from the opposite direction needs to stop at that stop sign, giving you time across the intersection, but they don't.
“They go straight through and then it's - where the heck did that car come from?“
The cafe has been there for 10 years and Smeenk said staff had 'raced out' to help after crashes at the intersection.
“You're pretty shaken up when you go even if there's no injuries. People are understandably upset when they're involved in an accident and it affects you.”
NZTA regional relationships director Andrew Corkill said the feedback is a chance to hear the public’s perspectives.
Local and road-user insights are invaluable, he said.
“Along with safety, technical, cost, benefit and other data, community feedback is a part of the process we can’t do without when determining whether we should change speed limits in these locations. ”
A short online survey can be completed online, on the NZTA site, and closes at 5pm on August 27.