Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is hosting two community open days next week to provide an opportunity for people to learn about the safety improvements underway on State Highway 2 between Waihī and Ōmokoroa and ask any questions they may have.
Both days will be held at Pātuki Manawa – The Digital Hub, Katikati Public Library, 21 Main Road Katikati with the first to be held on Thursday 4 May from 4pm to 6pm. The second day will be held on Saturday 6 May from 12pm – 2pm.
Rob Campbell, Waka Kotahi Waikato/Bay of Plenty Regional Manager for Maintenance and Operations says these open days are an opportunity to talk to the team about what’s happening in the area now and what’s coming next in the construction programme.
“I encourage the community to come along and learn about how we’re making SH2 between Waihī and Ōmokoroa safer for everyone who uses it.”
Mr Campbell adds that he is extremely proud of this crew for their mahi on this section of SH2;
“Most of this work has been completed while maintaining two-way flow for traffic on a busy state highway, with around 15,000 vehicles passing through each day. At times this has been a real challenge, with a complex programme of work managed carefully to manage traffic delays.”
To make this stretch of road safe we have:
- widened SH2 to give greater recovery distance and consistency across the corridor, the effect of this has also improved visibility
- put in 22km wide centreline to help separate oncoming traffic
- installed 35km life-saving roadside safety barriers giving protection from trees and deep ditches
- made intersections safer with wide shoulders and 18 right turn lanes
- removed overhanging shelter belts reducing hazards and ongoing disruption from maintenance
- shifted power services underground, and removed all overhead mains cables, eliminating unprotected power poles.
About the project
Work to improve the 40km corridor, includes road and shoulder widening, installing a wide centreline, flexible road safety barriers in high-risk areas, and intersection improvements.
In the next phase of the project, flexible median barriers will be installed between Katikati and Ōmokoroa, along with intersection upgrades.
The installation of flexible median barriers is an effective infrastructure treatment and, combined with the improvements works already undertaken, can reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on this section of SH2 by 75%. Based on previous crash data, this is estimated to prevent around 60 deaths and serious injuries over 10 years.
