Ōtaki to north of Levin project update – May 2022

We’re working to build a new highway for regional and through traffic by the end of the decade, as we focus on making travel from Ōtaki to north of Levin safer and more resilient, as well as increasing transport choices and supporting economic growth in the region.

Feedback is still open and we’re continuing to host events about what’s happening on the new highway. Meanwhile, work continues in improving the safety of the existing state highways with the launch of the SH1 Ōtaki to Levin speed review consultation.

New speeds are being proposed for SH1 between Ōtaki and Levin.

State Highway 1 Ōtaki to Levin speed review consultation open

In mid-2021, we asked people what they thought about the current speed limits on SH1 between Ōtaki and Levin. Feedback from this engagement, together with our technical assessment, were used to help us recommend some changes to speed limits for the road. We are now formally consulting with you on the proposed changes to speed limits along this corridor.

Changing a speed limit is a legal process and formal consultation is the next step after engagement. We consider all submissions from the public and stakeholders during this stage before we make a final decision on any speed change.

Once a decision is made, we will publish it on our website and in our project update newsletter.

To learn more about the speed review process, see this webpage.

Between 2017 and 2021, 15 people died in crashes on this section of SH1 and 44 people were seriously injured.

Most crashes are caused by several factors, however speed is what is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured or walks away unharmed. Setting safer speed limits is one way of keeping people safe on our roads.

We have also recently completed early safety improvements at Kuku, and we will be undertaking further safety improvement works on this stretch of SH1, including median and side barriers, painted wide centrelines and turnarounds.

These safety improvements will work together with the proposed safer speeds to improve safety in the area.

The 80km/h speed limit continues to be in place between the existing 80km/h zones at Manakau and Ohau.

Find out more about the proposed speed changes on our website and place your submission online with our Survey Monkey, or email O2NL@nzta.govt.nz.

Submissions close on 15 June 2022.

Members of the public talking with our project team at the Poroutawhao Hall drop-in session on Saturday 7 May.

New highway engagement continues

Thank you to everyone who has come along to our drop-in sessions about the new highway. We have been having really worthwhile conversations with you all about the preliminary concept designs and connections.

You can view all the information on the latest update for the new highway on our website, including a fly-through video of the preliminary concept designs.

There is still time to come along to one of our drop-in sessions, please see the list of locations below.

You can have your say until Thursday 26 May 2022.

Why build roundabouts on the new highway?

There are currently two roundabouts planned on the new highway route, and both are at the northern end of the road. A large roundabout will provide connections from the new highway to SH57 (and Palmerston North beyond) in the north, and Arapaepae Road (towards Levin) in the south.

At the northern end of urban Levin, a large roundabout will signal the end of the new highway and act as a gateway to Levin. It will connect the new highway to SH1 to the north, the existing SH1 to the south and Heatherlea East Road.

Roundabouts are being considered in these locations, rather than a half or full diamond interchange, for numerous reasons. In both locations, these roundabouts connect to the existing two-lane state highways. They have been designed to prepare traffic for a changing road environment.  With Te Aranui o Te Rangihaeata (Transmission Gully), Peka Peka to Ōtaki and Ōtaki to north of Levin highways complete, drivers will travel from Wellington to Levin on four-lane, median separated highways and these roundabouts will signal a shift from this new highway environment onto a much narrower two-lane road on SH57 or SH1 beyond.

Currently, the average daily traffic numbers north of Levin are 11,631 on SH1 and 9,472 on SH57. Traffic modelling projections indicate roundabouts are suitable in these locations. The Tararua Road interchange manages transitions on and off the new highway before this traffic separates - there are currently about 20,000 vehicles a day on SH1 at Ohau.

Roundabouts also have a significantly smaller footprint than interchanges.

You can find more frequently asked questions about the new highway on our website.

The intersection of the SH1/Waitarere Beach Road intersection where safety improvements are planned.

SH1 Levin to Foxton engagement coming soon

We have been working with the community to progress the proposed safety improvements on SH1 between Levin and Foxton.

Stretches of painted wide centrelines, side barriers and median barriers, alongside turnarounds and a new roundabout are all being proposed along this route.
We will be sharing these proposed works with the community in June and asking for your feedback.

More information about this work will be shared in the next project update.

The Queen Street East/SH57 roundabout progress in May 2022.

SH57 safety improvements update

Construction is continuing on SH57 safety improvements. The Queen Street East/SH57 roundabout is now partially open to traffic, and a change to traffic layout is expected to take place in the coming weeks weather permitting.

Resealing work is now finished on Kimberley Road, and further work at the Arapaepae South/Kimberley Road corner is due to take place from 18 May.

There is still several hundred metres of side barrier to be installed on SH57 south of Tararua Road where the northbound detour is in place. This work is due to be completed in the coming weeks and the detour will be lifted.

More information

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl to find out about our work in the corridor or check out:

• www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl-proposed-new-highway for information on the new highway, or
• www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl-safe-speeds, to find out more about speed, or
• www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl-safer-roads-and-roadsides to find out more about the work to make our existing roads and roadsides safer.

Our email newsletters will let you know when there is new information on our website.

Do you know people who want to know more? They can subscribe here.

For more information on the Ōtaki to north of Levin programme, contact us at O2NL@nzta.govt.nz or call 0508 625 4636.