SH2 Wairarapa highway improvements

9 May 2024

SH2 Safety Improvements Project Update – May 2024

We thought it would be a good time to update you with what’s happening on the SH2 Masterton to Carterton Safety Improvement Project.

This email shares updates on the safety improvements project finishing, the need for further maintenance work on the road surface and our plans to review the speed limit. We also answer some questions that we've been asked about cycling changes in the area. 

Safety improvements project work finishing

Many people are enjoying the smoother transitions from local feeder roads onto SH2 via the new roundabouts, and overall, they are helping the journeys of nearly 13,000 drivers who use this corridor every day.

The tense waits for a gap in the traffic at the former T-intersections are now a thing of the past, and even now, it’s sometimes hard to remember just how dangerous those old intersections were and what they looked like. Roundabouts are a proven method to reduce the risks of fatal and serious injuries happening at busy junctions.

To recap, we’ve built three new roundabouts, a turning bay at Clareville, widened the road and installed 5.8km of wire rope median barriers. The final part of the project will see the last of the road line marking completed this month.

The new wire-rope barriers have had at least 10 notable hits which have taken out rows of white posts. It is likely that there have been more, but there are always crashes and near-misses that go unreported. We know these barriers will prevent crashes and save lives over time. The project has significantly improved road safety for Wairarapa locals and visiting road users, and will serve the community well for decades to come.

Further work needed

We understand that by this stage, people may have expected the final road surface between the roundabouts through to Clareville to be smoother and less patchy. While we have widened the road in some places, much of the road surface is what existed before the project started. We've assessed the road after adding median barriers, which has shown that it needs further work now. 

The road surface is near the end of its life and has problems in some areas. We know these affect your experience using the road. While we’d planned to do major maintenance work on the surface in the years to come, we’re now planning to do this as soon we can, so that Wairarapa drivers have a safe, resilient highway. We plan to complete a final surface next summer.

As we head into the winter months, we can't do this type of work while the weather is wetter and colder. The roading materials we need to use in this area would not bond properly which would lead to more potential for potholes and faults. In the meantime, repairs to potholes and general maintenance will continue during the cooler weather by NZTA’s Wellington Transport Alliance – our maintenance team for the region’s state highways.

NZTA is considering the details of road surfacing work that we can deliver later this year when the weather is warmer. We’ll update you on this as more decisions are finalised.

The project - as it is now - has been carefully developed and built. Safety experts have been involved in every step and it meets safety guidelines as assessed by an independent road safety auditor. The project passed an inspection and safety audit late last year.

Maintenance of the road

Wellington Transport Alliance teams constantly monitor the highways in the Greater Wellington area, including Wairarapa, for any obstructions, spillages or incidents, and respond to them as soon as possible. They resume responsibility for SH2 between Masterton and Carterton, now that project contractors are finished on site. 

If you see teams on the road, please treat them with kindness and respect.  Their work is so important in keeping you and your loved ones safe on the road. Often they’re called out to respond to repairs in adverse conditions, so give them a friendly wave and acknowledge their good work. We value our road teams and contractors immensely.

Speed limit

We are also preparing to review the speed limit on this stretch of road, considering the new safety features that have been added, and looking at whether we can set a 100km/h limit. Any change to speed limits requires both public consultation and a safety assessment of the road. We plan to share a proposal with the community for feedback this year - but have not yet set a date for this.

Community questions on signage for cyclists

We understand that some Wairarapa cyclists are not fully satisfied with aspects of the current Masterton to Carterton highway. There have been different proposals and suggestions in the past, including proposals for separated paths alongside the highway. The scope of this project, however, was focussed on delivering road safety improvements in a cost-effective way. It only included building the new roundabouts, building the turnaround bay, and adding median barriers to the road as main features. Further widening or adding paths would have required far greater land purchases, adding to the cost and delaying the start of work. 

Cycle signage at Ngaumutawa 

We’ve been asked about the possibility of putting more signage for cyclists on the Ngaumutawa roundabout.  It may seem a simple enough thing to do but too much signage in such places can lead to visual overload, therefore we are not adding any more signage. 

The Ngaumutawa roundabout is a very busy and complex intersection.  It also has cycling signage and green-painted blocks on the road surface.  The other two roundabouts are more straightforward and their designs lead drivers to naturally slow down – lessening the chance of high-speed impacts.

Given that this is a highly built-up industrial area and well-used intersection during daylight hours, people are inclined to slow down and take more care getting through this area.  Any extra signage may be counter-intuitive, and distract peoples’ attention. 

Any signage needs to comply with strict highway specifications.  Such limitations were taken into account during the detailed design and construction of this project.

At our new Wairarapa roundabouts we opted for noticeable block green painted areas with white painted cycling symbols on the road surface - in and around the cycle paths which are close to roundabouts and where there’s not sufficient shoulder to cycle in.

How do I report an issue?

If you ever need to report an incident or concern about a highway, please call the freephone 0800 4 HIGHWAYS or 0800 44 44 49. These calls are received by NZTA’s national call centre, which is staffed 24/7 – every day of the year.

Use this number to report issues impacting highways, or even to get the latest state highway travel information.

Any questions, comments or feedback?   Email us at:   SH2Wairarapa@nzta.govt.nz.

We’ll keep you informed of any information when we’re able.  In the meantime, please contact us directly at the above channels.

More information

If you know anyone who might be interested in these updates, they can sign up on this webpage here.

Any questions, comments or feedback?  Get in touch by phone on 0800 353 824 or email us at SH2Wairarapa@nzta.govt.nz.

Follow these social media accounts for important State Highway updates:

Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

NZTA Wellington Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWgtn

NZTA WellingtonTwitter: twitter.com/NZTAWgtn