Improvement work is set for SH1 between Cambridge and Piarere, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has confirmed.

The transport agency is implementing changes this month to improve this stretch of highway, which has seen a number of fatal and serious injury crashes.

“While our mahi on the longer term 16km expressway is progressing, and we have been working on more permanent safety improvements on the current SH1, there are things we can do right now to save lives,” said David Speirs, director of regional relationships for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region.

“Probably the most influential will be the temporary reduction of the speed limit to 80kph from 100kph from north of Hickey Road to south of the Karāpiro Road/SH1 intersection.”

Other safety improvements Waka Kotahi will be implementing shortly include:

• Installing ‘High Crash Area’ signs north of Hickey Road and south of Karāpiro Road, and electronic warning signs – so people are aware of the upcoming risks.
• Installing and improving rumble strips, hit sticks and edge marker posts so tired or distracted drivers can be alerted or discouraged from cutting corners.
• Installing wide painted median strips between the end of the expressway and Fergusson Gully Road to provide more space between opposing traffic.
• The temporary speed restriction will remain in place until the planned permanent safety infrastructure is installed. The wide painted centre lines are also an interim measure, while Waka Kotahi prepares to install flexible median barriers. While not as effective, wide painted median strips do provide significantly more separation between opposing traffic streams, and have been shown in New Zealand to reduce crashes resulting in deaths or serious injuries by up to 35%.

“Flexible median barriers are one of the best ways to save lives on our roads,” said  Speirs. “Up to 75% of the people who die or are seriously injured on rural roads have either had a head-on collision, or have run off the road, and the proven solution to preventing head-on crashes is to physically separate opposing traffic, using flexible median barriers.

“If someone loses control or drifts across the centreline, the result isn’t a deadly crash; instead, the steel cables flex, absorb the impact, slow your vehicle and keep it upright.”

More than 4km of flexible median barriers have already been installed between Cambridge and Piarere on SH1 and are proving highly effective. The barrier south of Fergusson Gully Road has been hit 40 times already. Without the barrier, any of these 40 incidents had the potential to be a head-on crash.

Starting in December, additional flexible median barriers will be installed, just south of Maungatautari Road. At the same time, the road will be resurfaced, and the dangerous short southbound passing lane will be taken out. Drivers accelerating to pass here often find themselves having to brake hard at the top of the hill when they encounter slower traffic negotiating the SH1/29 intersection.

Early next year, more flexible median barriers will be installed between the unnamed reserve where the current median barrier finishes, to past Kentucky Road. This will mean there will be a total of 7.7km of flexible median barriers installed from Fergusson Gully Road to near the SH1/SH29 intersection.

Designs are in process to install further median barriers and other safety features from the end of the Waikato Expressway through to Fergusson Gully Road, including large and safe turnaround bays, and a roundabout for the dangerous and very busy intersection of SH1 and Karāpiro Road.

This safety improvement work will be done in sections, but it is expected to be completed within the next two years.