Kia ora koutou katoa

Welcome to the December 2021 edition of Connect Rotorua. This newsletter is our place to share information and updates about Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency projects being planned or underway in the Rotorua Lakes District.

Connect Rotorua is a programme of work to improve Rotorua’s transport network. We’re creating a safe and sustainable network to support your community wellbeing and make daily journeys more enjoyable.

Upgraded SH5/SH36 Ngongotahā roundabout is now open

Upgraded SH5/SH36 Ngongotahā roundabout open

The opening of the SH5/SH36 Ngongotahā roundabout will be a welcome Christmas present for many. This project would have not been possible without the enduring patience of our stakeholders, partners and the Ngongotahā community and we would like to express our sincere thank you to you. The upgraded roundabout is now open, including removal of all traffic management at the roundabout.

Road widening, barrier installation and other works along SH5, between the SH5/SH36 Ngongotahā roundabout to just north of the golf course, are programmed to wind up before Christmas and there will be minimal traffic management in place over the Christmas/New Year break.

Remaining road widening and further barrier installation, landscaping and road rehabilitation will take place in the new year. These works are expected to take until the end of February 2022 to complete.

www.nzta.govt.nz/t2n

SH33 before new seal was laid

We’re making SH33 safer

People make mistakes. We all make mistakes, but there are changes we can make so simple mistakes don’t result in someone we care for being killed or seriously injured on our roads.

Waka Kotahi is installing proven safety treatments on New Zealand’s highest risk roads as part of the Road to Zero road safety strategy.

Over the last four years we’ve been making State Highway 33 (SH33), between Te Ngae Junction (Whakatāne turnoff) to Paengaroa, safer. This stretch is 34km long with some tricky terrain, so we’ve been completing it in stages and making it safer by:

• widening the gap between oncoming traffic by installing a wide centreline between Te Ngae Junction and Paengaroa
• providing extra room on the shoulders by widening and sealing it
• reducing the risk of hitting things like power poles and trees by installing roadside barriers
• giving you a wake a call if you stray across the line by laying rumble strips
• smoothing out sharp curves and providing safer passing opportunities
• putting in new signs and road markings
• implementing safer speed limits.

The end is in sight for this project, and we’re now working on the final stretch. The team has been upgrading the sections either side of the area known as the Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curves. Here we have been widening the shoulders, upgrading the road surface, and installing roadside safety barriers. The team will clear the site from Thursday 23 December and pick up where they left off on Tuesday 11 January. We hope to see this project finished later in 2022.

nzta.govt.nz/tnj2p
SH33 project map

SH33 shared path

New shared path connecting Ōkere Falls to Hamurana Road

We heard the community wanted a safe place to walk alongside the lake and we’re close to seeing this happen. Soon we’ll see people on bikes, scooters and walking between Ōkere Falls and Hamurana, enjoying this pretty special part of our country.

The new shared path is close to completion. Plans to be finished by Christmas were put on hold due to concrete supply issues. The team have done a great job getting most of it ready, with one short section left to finish between Ōkere Falls Store and the parking area before the boat ramp. The team will focus on this section when work starts up again in January.

We received questions about the concrete kerbing alongside the shared path, and why there are gaps in it. The gaps are to allow water to drain and stop it pooling.

The four pedestrian refuge islands, which will be installed after the break, will also be lit so people can feel safe and seen while waiting to cross the road.

Shared path map

SH30/Tarawera Road intersection makes it easier for people to move around

Working together to bring oranga/wellness to life

Eastside hapū Ngāti Te Roro o Te Rangi, Ngāti Hurungaterangi and Ngāti Uenukukōpako have played an integral role in shaping the way how the State Highway 30 ugrade supports the aspirations of the Eastside community.

Paraone Pirika, Kaumatua of Te Roro o te Rangi and Uenukukōpako, has been one of the hapū representatives seeing the transformation come to life from the very beginning, to the improvements between Sala Street and Iles Road being almost complete, and the SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two major works about to get underway.

“The vision for Eastside revolves around oranga (wellness and all that contributes to wellness of the land and the people) and the upgrade of SH30/Te Ngae Road is a perfect example of oranga at work,” says Paraone.

“The design of the road upgrade with rain gardens will prevent additional stormwater washing into our tūpuna, Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe, and the resulting pollution associated with stormwater in heavy rain events. This is a win for the land and lake, and for the whānau with one less thing to worry about.”

“I have also heard many folk talking about how the traffic lights at the Tarawera Road intersection have made it easier for people to move around, compared to what it was before with the roundabout. And the wide shared paths have vastly improved connectivity for people walking and cycling; addressing safety for whānau and the community."

“Once the next stages of the SH30 upgrades are complete, including safe crossing points, improved footpath and shared paths, it’ll make Rotorua's Eastside a safer and more enjoyable place for everyone, and travelling along this corridor will be further improved.”

Most works of the SH30 Eastern Corridor – Stage One improvements are expected to be complete before Christmas, this includes removal of all traffic management. Only minor works are expected to take place in the new year.

nzta.govt.nz/eastern-corridor-stage1

3.5km of shared path are awaiting people on feet, bikes, skates and rollerblades

Walk this way, walk this way

If you’ve got Aerosmith playing their famous song in your head now, it’s time to get active and hit the shared path and literally walk this way. Or stroll, wander, run, cycle, roller-skate or skate it. It’s a path for everyone and aims to get you moving – just like Aerosmith. Approximately 3.5km of shared path on both sides of SH30/Te Ngae Road, between Sala Street and Iles Road, are complete and waiting for you.

Rain garden along SH30/Te Ngae Road

Gardens with a superpower

Looking suspiciously humble and neatly organised, rain gardens have a hidden superpower. They imitate nature and filter stormwater before it flows into the pipes, drains and the lake. They remove pollutants, slow down the water flow into the stormwater network and recharge freshwater bodies; ultimately playing a significant role in protecting the waterways in Rotorua. But that isn’t all.

As part of the Rotorua SH30/Te Ngae Road Stage One project we also planted rimu, tōtara, kōwhai, various flaxes and other native and exotic species. In total 13,000 plants and 90 trees. It’s not all about concrete, safety barriers and traffic lights – landscaping forms a major part of Waka Kotahi projects across the country.

Raised safety platform on Tumene Drive

Safer crossing points for Eastside community

We’ve upgraded three local road intersections in Eastside Rotorua with raised safety platforms at Tennyson Drive, Tumene Drive and Brent Road. Safety is particularly important in these areas due to the number of older and younger people who regularly use these intersections to access schools and retirement villages. These raised sections of road aim to slow vehicles to a safe speed, making the three intersections safer to navigate for all users.

Phase One stretches from Iles Road to Coulter Road

Moving on – the next stage on SH30/Te Ngae Road set to kick off in January

With the major works between Sala Street and Iles Road complete, it’s time to move on and improve the next section of SH30/Te Ngae Road. We’re aiming to start works between Iles Road and Basley Road in January 2022.

In the first months, you’ll see excavations and road widening works taking place. Our team will first work in the berm and footpath to relocate services and underground existing overhead power cables. New street lighting will then be installed in the middle of the road and sealing will take place with new traffic signals operating at the Basley Road intersection.

Traffic management will be in place and access to properties will be maintained although may be restricted during the works. The construction team will also keep residents and businesses informed who may be affected by the construction activities.

nzta.govt.nz/eastern-corridor-stage2

SH30 Awakeri

Safer speeds for BOP roads

We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely. We’ve identified a number of roads in the Bay of Plenty where safer speed limits can make a big difference in saving lives, and where communities are calling for change.

To save lives and prevent serious injuries, we can set safer speed limits.

SH5 SH30 Urban Rotorua

We consulted with you on safer speeds for SH30 and SH5 through Rotorua. The outcome of this consultation will be announced early 2022.

SH30 Tikitere to Whakatāne

During June and July this year we received valuable feedback from hapū representatives, residents, community organisations, industry groups and people who travel SH30 between Tikitere and Whakatāne. We’ve read all the feedback provided during this engagement phase and will be using it, along with the technical information, to finalise our recommendation for what the safe and appropriate speeds should be for this road.

The next step is formal consultation with our recommendations. The consultation will give local communities, and other interested parties, an opportunity to let us know if there’s anything else we should consider when making our decision on the safe speeds. We hope to be consulting on safe speed limits in early 2022.

Speed review locations

Safe speed limits

The sign of a safe speed

There are a number of factors that go into setting safe speeds on our roads, including the number of people and travel modes using the road, the function and features of the road and its surrounding environment. All these things determine what a safe speed should be.

This short video explains things nicely.

Christmas close down

If you’re planning a trip to the Bay or visiting the Lakes region you can expect to see the road clear of road works between Thursday 23 December and Sunday 9 January for holiday traffic. There may be some temporary speed limits and road cones in place.

Please take care and look out for temporary speed limits, signs and cones ahead of any closed work sites. Speeding through these sites isn’t a good idea as vehicles can flick up loose metal and other objects.

Be patient too. Expect to see some holiday congestion and delays, and factor this into your travel plans. We want you to get to your destination safely. Speed is a factor in every crash. Even when it isn’t the direct cause, it can be the difference between someone walking away unharmed or being seriously injured or even killed. For everyone’s safety, please slow down and have a fantastic holiday season.

Closed work sites around the Rotorua Lakes District:

State Highway 33, Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa safety improvements: Site clear from Thursday 23 December until Tuesday 11 January. Temporary 70km/h  speed limit either side of the area known as the Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curves.

State Highway 30, Sala Street to Iles Road: Work along SH30 is programmed to conclude midday Thursday 23 December, which includes removal of all traffic management. Only minor works will recommence in January.

State Highway 5, Tarukenga to Ngongotahā: Works between the SH5/SH36 Ngongotahā roundabout to just north of the golf course will wind up on Thursday 23 December, leaving only minimal traffic management in place over the Christmas/New Year break. Remaining road widening and further barrier installation, landscaping and road rehabilitation will recommence on 10 January and are expected to take until the end of February 2022 to complete.