SH1 Hātepe Hill resealing works to begin Sunday night

Road works on SH1 Hātepe Hill are scheduled to start on Sunday 6 March, with temporary speed limits, uneven surfaces and temporary closure of the passing lane during the works.

The work is expected to take four weeks, weather depending. Please allow extra time for journeys through this area as there will be periods of stop/go traffic management for the first two weeks, and then the left-hand lane up the hill will be closed for the remaining time crews are on site.

The works will provide a high-quality, long-lasting surface for all road users, especially trucks, going up Hātepe Hill.

The first week will see a 350m section of road at the top of the hill renewed through a technique known as foam bitumen stabilisation. Work will take place between 6pm to 6am and stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place. Priority will be given to uphill vehicles to ensure trucks are not stopping on the uphill section.

Following this work, a 2km section of the slow vehicle lane up Hātepe Hill will be replaced with structural asphalt. Work will take place between 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturday; during the first week the road will be under stop/go traffic management, and the following two weeks will see the closure of the left-hand lane. Read more

Safety improvements on SH1 south of Ātiamuri will begin soon.

SH1 Piarere to Taupō safety improvements

Work to install flexible median safety barriers and roadside barriers on SH1 between Maroa Road and Tram Road, south of Ātiamuri is expected to start in the coming months following a successful tender process.

We’re continuing to engage with our partners and stakeholders on the design for the next stage of the safety improvements between Ātiamuri Bridge and Thorpe Road. Further safety improvements between SH1 Piarere and Taupō will follow during the next 10 years, subject to funding.

Road safety barriers help keep vehicles on the road, out of opposing lanes, and protect you from roadside hazards like power poles and trees. In doing so, they save lives and give you a second chance. Read more

We have a vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads.

Mistakes on the road are inevitable, but deaths and serious injuries aren’t.

We have a vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads. A vision where everyone, whether they’re walking, cycling, driving, motorcycling or taking public transport, can get to where they’re going safely. It might sound impossible, but Aotearoa has a plan to get there. It’s called Road to Zero.

That’s the message behind a new campaign launched recently aimed at building public awareness and demand for the changes needed to drive deaths and serious injuries down on the road towards zero.

“New Zealand’s Road to Zero strategy is based on the belief that no-one deserves to die or be seriously injured on our roads, even when they make mistakes,” says Waka Kotahi Chief Executive Nicole Rosie.

The strategy adopts a long-term vision of no deaths or serious injuries on our roads by 2050, and Government has set a specific interim target for 2030 as part of the strategy - to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 40 percent compared to 2018 levels.

“Reaching that target is possible with the right measures to make every part of the transport system safer – roads, vehicles, speeds and road users.”

Read more about Road to Zero and check out this video.

New safe speed in effect on SH5 from Rangitāiki to Esk Valley

A new, safer 80km/h speed limit for the 76km winding section of State Highway 5 between Rangitāiki and Esk Valley came into effect on 18 February.

The top priority for Waka Kotahi is for everyone to get to their destination safely and this will be done through safer speed limits and future safety improvements. Reducing speed limits is the most effective and immediate way we can dramatically improve safety for everyone who uses this road.

Safe and appropriate speed limits are one part of what we’re doing to make SH5 safer for everyone who uses it. We are also planning safety improvements, such as shoulder widening, wide centrelines, side barriers and some intersection improvements.  We expect this work to begin at the end of this year.

We are committed to completing an evaluation 12 months after the speed limit has been in place, which will consider the safety, economic and social impacts of the new, safer 80km/h speed limit being introduced. Read more

As part of Road to Zero, we are looking at safety around marae which are on state highways.

Increasing safety with marae signage

As part of Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy, we are looking at safety around marae which are on state highways. We are working toward Vision Zero – an Aotearoa where no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads.

We have had a lot feedback from people who want to see signage around marae, and we know that signage can increase safety, so we have developed two types of signage:
• Pedestrian warning signs – these are to alert road users that young and old pedestrians may be on or near the road.
• Marae signs – these acknowledge the significance of marae and let people know when a marae is present.

You'll start to see these signs popping up around the country. We are also looking at how we can use technology to support safety around marae during events such as tangihanga. Read more

More information

For more information on the SH1 Taupō projects, contact us at Waikato.Projects@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh1-taupo