Latest information on SH1, Cambridge to Piarere

Lots of interaction went on at the Information Day at the Cambridge Town Hall

Robust discussions at November's Information Day

A solid attendance from an ultra-engaged community was the highlight of the Information Day on State Highway 1 Cambridge to Piarere, held on 17 November.

Nearly 200 members of the public attended the Information Day, ranging from locals to community board members, school principals, truck drivers and representatives of the business community.

Interest was particularly high about the short-term safety measures underway, while other people were keen to also learn about the longer-term plans, which include the proposed four-lane expressway and more options for walking and cycling. The maintenance team was kept busy with queries and suggestions.

David Speirs, Director Regional Relationships (Waikato/Bay of Plenty), says the day was a great success, particularly with the profound level of engagement displayed.

"There were lots of good questions, with people showing they are thinking deeply about what is happening on their roads. Many supported the safety measures proposed as well as the recent speed reduction from 100km/h to 80km/h and the new 'high crash area' signage.

"However, there was also some frustration expressed – understandably – about the length of time it will take before the proposed four-lane expressway will be built, and that funding for it is yet to be confirmed."

"People want the work done immediately, but when they were able to gain some understanding of the size and scale of the long-term project, they could see the importance of the safety measures - such as flexible median barriers - we are installing now."

For those who still want to give feedback on the proposed short-term safety improvements proposed, you can still do this on-line by clicking this link.  The on-line option for feedback on walking and cycling between Cambridge and Piarere is also still open on this link. Both surveys close on 11 December 2022. 

Short term safety improvements were a hot topic at the Information Day

A deep dive into your feedback

Once the on-line options for giving feedback on our short-term safety improvements as well as walking and cycling between Cambridge and Piarere close - on 11 December - we will begin a full analysis of what people have told us, including identifying the main themes.

Your comments via our email will be incorporated into this deep-dive analysis, as well as the discussions held with various interested people.  

The project teams will then consider the specifics of some of this feedback, especially the short-term safety improvements team (pictured) as they finalise the detailed designs.  

In the New Year, we will publish the feedback and engagement report on our website and via this e-newsletter.  

Got FOMO?

If you missed our Information Day, here's a short video capturing some of the highlights. Thank you to all those who participated. 

Flexible median barriers work commences soon

More median barriers for the New Year

Additional life-saving flexible median barrier will be installed on SH1 between Cambridge and Piarere in early 2023.

The first is approximately 1km of median barrier, just north of Maungatautari Road. We had intended this would be done this month; however, it is now scheduled for 9-20 January 2023. The work is anticipated to take three weeks, and traffic management will be in place.

The southbound lane will need to be closed at night, with detours in place. For residents and heavy vehicles, the southbound lane will remain open on a stop-go basis during the night closures. The northbound lanes will remain open at a reduced speed throughout this work.

As well as the median barrier going in here, there will also be some changes to the road layout, including removal of the southbound passing lane. Vehicles accelerating to pass here often find themselves braking hard at the top of the hill when they encounter slower traffic negotiating the SH1/29 intersection.This will become even more of an issue when construction of the SH1/29 roundabout begins, and traffic management is in place. For slower vehicles (such as those towing boats) pulling out of Maungatautari Road to head south, there will be enough room to safely merge into the south-bound traffic. 

Additional raised reflective pavement markers (also known as 'cats’ eyes') will be installed. We are planning to improve the lighting at the entranceway to Karapiro Heights at the same time.

The second tranche of flexible median barrier installation will involve a further 2.5km from Keeley's Reserve through to just past Kentucky Road. Once this is completed - expected to be April/ May - it will mean approximately half of SH1 between Cambridge and Piarere will have median safety barriers. These barriers prevent head-on crashes and therefore increase road safety for everyone.

While this halfway milestone is worth celebrating, we are continuing to prioritise getting other safety improvements in place, including more flexible median barrier on the rest of this road.

You can plan your journeys these holidays by using our journey planner website - a very useful thing to check before you head off. 

Positive feedback on temporary slower speed limits and new signage has been received

New signage, temporary speeds and other safety work

As well as having installed the new 'High Crash Rate' signs and reduced the speed from 100km/h to 80km/h from near the end of the expressway to just the past Karapiro Road intersection, we are making some other subtle - but important - safety improvements.

The curve warning signs near Hickey Road are being improved and edge marker posts are being installed. Cats' eyes are also being put in. These are highly effective, especially at night, as they provide visual guidance and a tactile reminder to stay within the lane.

The rumble strips - or audio tactile profiled (ATP) roadmarking - are also being replaced or installed in many places. When tyres run over an ATP, the driver can both hear and feel it, which helps to keep everyone in the correct lane. The ATP markings also contribute to making the road lanes easy to see, especially in wet and dark conditions, and keeps tired or distracted drivers focused on the job.

Using more safe hit sticks, especially towards the end of the expressway on the flush median, is another option we've been looking at. The flush medians are intended as a space for local drivers to use while waiting to safely turn into or out of driveways. Significant gaps are therefore needed between the hit sticks, to allow these drivers to accelerate and merge safely into the traffic, particularly if they are towing a trailer.

However, locals have reported instances of drivers using the flush medians as passing lanes, which is illegal.

We are investigating the option of putting in flexible median barrier in this area sooner, once we can get the turnarounds built. We'll let you know more on this shortly; median barriers are far more effective and are therefore preferable to installing more hit sticks.

Diagram of proposed turnarounds

What are these turnarounds of which you speak?

There was a lot of interest in what the turnarounds looked like at our Information Day, especially from the locals who will not be able to turn right out of their entranceway or road when the median barriers are installed.

As shown in the above diagram, the turnarounds give a safe right hand turn across the highway, and then enable vehicles to turn and make a safe exit left back onto SH1.  Drivers coming towards SH1 from the roads where these will be installed will be required to give way to any turning traffic. 

The turnarounds will be big enough to accommodate large vehicles, and will be in place before any flexible median barrier is installed, to avoid inconvenience to residents.

Are the poor drivers the issue?

There has been a lot of discussion in the community about poor driving contributing to the high crash rate in this area, and certainly, the local statistics support this.

Improving driving skills and addressing risk-taking behaviours is really important - there is no question of that. However, it will not solve the road safety problem by itself. No one expects to crash or be crashed into, but people make mistakes – including usually careful and responsible drivers.

And of course, a car can never be safe unless the passengers use seatbelts. A road is never safe for the wrong speeds or for impaired drivers. It's about addressing all parts of the system - safer roads, safer vehicles, appropriate speeds, and sober, focused drivers. 

Road to Zero sets us on a path to achieve Vision Zero, an Aotearoa New Zealand where no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads. If we are to achieve Vision Zero, we need to create a safe transport system; one that recognises humans make mistakes and is designed so that these mistakes do not need to cost us our lives.

It is vital that we continue to install safety infrastructure such as the flexible median barriers, which prevent a mistake being made by one person affecting their lives, their passengers' lives, and the lives of other people travelling in the opposite direction.

If the whole system is to work, a number of different measures are necessary that allow us to travel at the right speed, protect us in the right way and ensure that we all behave responsibly on our roads, supported by laws and technology to remind us to do the right thing.

When it comes to driving or riding, most people think that other people are the problem – but we all have a responsibility for making safe choices, and taking care of ourselves and other road users.

We wish you a safe and happy summer.

For more information on the Cambridge to Piarere project, contact us at c2p@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/c2p