Final week to share your thoughts on safety improvements

Kia ora,

Earlier this month we reached out to share the types of safety improvements we’re investigating to make State Highway 1 between Whangārei and Port Marsden Highway safer and more forgiving of human error.

We also shared a number of safety concerns that were previously highlighted during consultation on this section of the state highway last year.

This is the final week to share your thoughts as feedback will close on Sunday 28th November.

We acknowledge there is some frustration within the community as many may feel they’ve already given feedback about this section of the state highway.

We need to ensure we capture any feedback we may have missed during previous rounds of consultation and hear from those who may be new to the community.

Consultation is an important part of planning and designing transport infrastructure. For safety improvements projects such as this one, community feedback helps to provide us with valuable insights and local knowledge of high-risk areas where non-reported crashes, including regular ‘near-miss’ events have occurred.

We really appreciate those who have taken the time to share their thoughts on the SH1 Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway Safety Improvements project with us. Your feedback is helping us to develop the project further and we expect to be able to share more information about the design by mid-2022.

Click the image above to visit the interactive digital map

Share your feedback with us online

This is the final week to share your feedback and share your safety concerns along the stretch of State Highway 1 between Whangārei and Port Marsden Highway.

Click here to visit the interactive digital map. You can choose to:

• Browse the information we’ve provided, find out what we know and the types of safety improvements we’re investigating
• Leave your feedback by dragging a marker and dropping it on the map
• Join the discussion by responding to other people’s comments.

You can also provide your feedback by emailing the project team at w2pmh@nzta.govt.nz 

Please remember to submit your feedback by Sunday 28th November.

What are people saying?

So far, over 1500 people have accessed the information on our interactive digital map and we have received 155 pieces of feedback from 96 individuals. Our Facebook post has received 350 comments and 45 shares.

At the moment, we’re hearing:

• Many comments highlight the need for more appropriate speeds for the environment along the corridor – vehicles travel too fast through the area, overtake other vehicles in dangerous places and make risky decisions that put themselves and others at risk. Appropriate speeds in this area is something we are currently investigating and you can expect to hear more about this in early-2022.
   
• A lot of feedback highlights frustration regarding slow progress at the Loop Road intersection. Night works are planned in the coming weeks to lay the final layer of asphalt on the Loop Road roundabout and approaches.
  
  We are currently working on a programme for the remaining works, which include road surfacing and the construction of a traffic island north of the roundabout, and completion works to other areas of road pavement. These pavement works couldn't be done during the wet winter months. Our expectation is that they will be completed early in the new year.
   
• People want to see the current condition of the highway improved including potholes, signage and maintenance of the centre median Safe Hit Posts.
   
• Many suggestions highlighted the need for better access and safety at state highway intersections including Tauroa Street, Maungakaramea Road and Mangapai Road. Feedback will be taken into consideration during the development of the project design.
   
• People are concerned about risk taking behaviours when drivers become frustrated following freight vehicles or travelling during peak times when there are high traffic volumes.

What happens next?

The next steps for the project are to continue developing the design and the detailed business case for further consideration by ministers.

We are still working closely with KiwiRail to confirm the scope, cost, and timings of our respective projects and plan to have more information to share by mid-2022.

The below graphic outlines the process for the safety improvements project.