Source: New Zealand Government
A new 110km/h speed limit on the SH1/76 Christchurch Southern Motorway, will come into effect from tomorrow, Sunday 13 April, marking a first for South Island, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Minister for the South Island and Associate Transport Minister James Meager say.
“Economic growth and productivity are a priority for the Government, and with up to 38,000 vehicles per day travelling on the Christchurch Southern Motorway, the new higher speed limit of 110km/h will help ensure people and freight can get to where they need to go, quickly and safely,” Mr Bishop says.
“Late last year, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) consulted on the proposed speed limit increase to 110km/h. With nearly 4,000 submissions received, 68 per cent supported the increase, with most submissions strongly supporting it.
“Started by the previous National Government as a Road of National Significance (RoNS), the Christchurch Southern Motorway was built to a high safety standard and has delivered strong safety benefits, improved travel time reliability, and reduced congestion for those travelling in and out of Christchurch to the south.
“These motorways have safety features that greatly reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a crash. This includes two lanes in each direction, flexible median barrier between opposing lanes, and a smooth alignment with good forward visibility for drivers.
“Kiwis have now had their say and NZTA have assessed the Christchurch Southern Motorway as being safe to increase the speed limit to 110km/h. Now, we’re getting on and delivering it.”
“This isn’t the only thing the Government is delivering to improve travel times, reliability, and reduce congestion on our state highway network,” Mr Meager says.
“In Canterbury, we’re focused on progressing delivery of the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) and Roads of Regional Significance (RoRs), including SH1 Belfast to Pegasus and Woodend Bypass, SH76 Brougham Street Upgrades, SH75 Halswell Road Improvements, SH1 Rolleston Access Improvements and the second Ashburton Bridge.
“A new higher speed limit of 110km/h on the Christchurch Southern Motorway, with the Rolleston improvements at the southern end, and the Brougham Street upgrades at the eastern end, will together create a safer and more efficient state highway for this rapidly expanding part of greater Christchurch.
“As part of long-term forward planning, NZTA is also looking at further improvements for the state highway corridor south of Christchurch.
“This includes an upcoming study into the corridor between Lyttelton Port and Timaru Port (SH1, SH76, SH74) which will look at the future capacity required, resilience, the replacement of State Highway 1 bridges, the role of rail, and potential four-laning of the corridor. This work is expected to begin towards the end of the current 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme period.”
The new 110km/h speed limit on the SH1/76 Christchurch Southern Motorway comes into effect on Sunday 13 April, and will apply for 17.7km of the state highway from east of Curletts Road interchange, Addington, to west of Weedons Road interchange, Rolleston.
