December 2019

SH16 Brigham Creek to Waimauku

Too many people are dying or being seriously injured along SH16 and we know safety treatments can help to save lives.

Speed review
Formal consultation on proposed speed limit changes on SH16 Kumeu to Waimauku closed this week. Thank you to everyone who provided submissions.

We received over 170 online submissions and have also received submissions via email and post. We are currently analysing these submissions as well as considering technical assessment information of the crash history, average vehicle speeds, volume of vehicles and development of supporting areas.

Once we have completed our analysis, we will announce the outcome via email, print and on our website, as well as share the consultation summary.

You can find out more about the speed review consultation and the proposed speed limit changes.

Safety improvements

There are two stages of this project. Stage one runs from Huapai to Waimauku and stage two is between the Brigham Creek roundabout and Kumeu. We’ve prioritised the section between Huapai and Waimauku where half of the crashes were head-on. Work will start on this section while we confirm aspects of the design for stage two.

We were ambitiously aiming to start construction on stage one at the end of this year. We have made good progress on our key milestones; design of stage one is nearly complete, and the required resource consents have been lodged with Auckland Council. However, due to various factors including lodgement of resource consents and property acquisition we have not been able to meet this construction timeline. 

To enable construction to start next year, work continues for getting approval of the required consents, looking at service and utility relocation and land acquisition.

We know the community want to see these improvements as soon as possible. We acknowledge that this is taking longer than we originally anticipated and is frustrating for people. We will update the community early next year on further timeframes and a construction programme for the work.

Median safety barriers / saving lives

Most of the deaths and serious harm on our roads are the result of people being involved in head-on collisions or collisions with roadside hazards e.g. trees, poles or deep ditches. Flexible road safety barriers are key to improving the safety and reducing the potential harm to people on this road.

As part of this project we will be installing flexible road safety barriers to catch drivers who leave their lane before hitting something harder like trees, poles, ditches or other vehicles. Flexible median barriers will be installed along the road except between Taupaki roundabout and Kumeu.
When fitted along the side and centre of the road, they reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured by up to 90 percent*.

* High Risk Rural Roads Guide, published September 2011, NZ Transport Agency. First Edition.

This video highlights the benefit of flexible safety barriers installed on SH1 Centennial Highway, just north of Wellington

Click on the image below to watch the video.

More information

For more information on the SH16 Brigham Creek to Waimauku project, or if you have any questions, please get in touch with Himanshu Chopra, Communications and Engagement Manager, on 021 528 655 or email Himanshu.chopra@nzta.govt.nz.

Project Frequently Asked Questions

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/BC2W