Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is inviting locals and people who regularly travel on State Highway 1/3 between Bulls and Sanson to have their say on proposed safety improvements which aim to prevent deaths and serious injuries on the road.
Starting today, Monday 3 May, Waka Kotahi is engaging with the public on the proposed improvements, which include a roundabout, shared path and an investigation into lowering speed limits.
Director of Regional Relationships Emma Speight says that the planned roundabout and shared path work together with speed reductions to create a safer network for all motorists.
“Waka Kotahi is committed to Vision Zero, a vision for New Zealand where no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads. We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely.
“Humans are fallible and inevitably make mistakes, but those mistakes shouldn’t cost lives. That’s why we’re proposing a range of safety improvements, and asking people what they think of the current speed limit on this section of road.
“The feedback we get through this four-week engagement period will help inform the roundabout designs. Once detailed designs are completed for the roundabout, Waka Kotahi will seek funding for construction and begin the consent application process.”
The safety improvements are part of the Road To Zero strategy developed in partnership with NZ Police, Ministry of Transport, local government and WorkSafe that adopts Vision Zero and sets a target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand’s roads, streets, cycleways and footpaths by 40 percent over the next 10 years.
Road to Zero – NZ’s road safety strategy
“Alongside the plans for a roundabout, which will have a positive impact on safety, we also need to talk about how fast we are driving,” Ms Speight says.
“Even when speed isn’t the direct cause of a crash, it is a factor in the severity of every crash. It is most often what determines whether a person is killed, seriously injured, or unharmed. A small reduction in speed makes a big difference in how survivable a crash is.
“Lowering speeds doesn’t mean we can’t make other changes, but it is something we can do now that will have an immediate impact on reducing the risk of deaths and serious injuries on the road.
“We want to hear what people who use this road think about the current speed limit, and that will help inform a proposal for speed changes that we expect to seek formal submissions on later this year.”
Ms Speight is hoping for a good turnout at the first drop-in sessions on Friday 7 May and Saturday 8 May.
“This is a great opportunity for people to have their say on the future of the state highway that connects Bulls and Sanson.”
The drop-in sessions will be held at:
- Sanson Community Hall, 26 Fagan Street, Sanson – Friday 7 May, 3-6pm
- Te Matapihi Bull Community Centre, 4 Criterion Street, Bulls – Saturday 8 May, 10am-1pm
For those who cannot attend the drop-in sessions, they can head to:
SH1/SH3 Bulls to Sanson speed review
Or you can email CNISpeedReviews@nzta.govt.nz
