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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Emergency exercise targets a vehicle fire in the Waterview Tunnel
Exercise Glass involves fire and police emergency services, tunnel incident response teams and operations managers and will take place instead of a regular monthly maintenance closure. The tunnel will be closed in both directions, says the Transport Agency’s System Manager Steve Mutton.
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: RiverLink invites public input on Melling transport improvements
The transport improvements are important to the success of the overall RiverLink project which aims to improve flood protection, improve the flow and efficiency of traffic and contribute to the revitalisation and economic growth of Lower Hutt’s city centre.
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Safety upgrades coming for sections of SH2 in Hawke’s Bay
Works include the installation of median barriers on certain sections as well as wider centre-lines to help prevent head-on crashes. Rumble strips, roadside barriers, and wider sealed shoulders will also be constructed in areas, increasing the room for recovery in an emergency situation.
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Forecast bad weather closes SH11 past Lemon’s Hill until Tuesday
Metservice is forecasting heavy rainfall for the region on Saturday and Sunday which will make the road and slip area potentially unsafe for motorists. A geotechnical engineer will assess the slip on Monday afternoon for a possible re-opening of the road at limited times on Tuesday, says Northland System Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult.
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Mid-Canterbury community involved in upcoming road safety project
The NZ Transport Agency has been looking at ways to make a stretch of the highway, from just north of the Selwyn River Bridge to Racecourse Road, north of Ashburton, safer.
Between 2007 and 2016, 13 people were killed and 49 were seriously injured on this stretch of road. Many of these crashes involved drivers running off the road and hitting something like a pole or tree. There have also been head-on crashes on the highway.
Transport Agency System Manager Pete Connors says the team held a series of community events in Ashburton, Rakaia and Dunsandel in December to share their ideas and find out more from people who use the road. They also invited feedback online and by mail.
“We asked people what makes this road feel unsafe and what worries them the most,” he says.
“About 80 people came to speak to us at the events. We also received 113 feedback forms and a number of letters, emails and phone calls. Since then, we’ve continued to have constructive conversations with people in the community and commuters about making the road safer.
“People have told us the high traffic volumes made them feel unsafe and some felt nervous turning onto or off the state highway. They also feel unsafe walking and driving across the highway at Rakaia and Dunsandel, and many were worried about drivers crossing the centre line.”
Three-quarters of people who responded support the installation of flexible safety barriers or wide centre lines to reduce head-on crashes. They also like the idea of more rumble strips and wide sealed shoulders to create room to recover if drivers drift out of their lane or lose control.
Mr Connors says feedback from people who know the road well is really important.
“We use this information alongside our research to make sure that the safety improvements respond to the needs of the community using the road every day,” he says.
The project team will finalise the design of the safety improvements for this road and share them with the community later this year.
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Milestones coming up on Waikato Expressway
The southbound lanes are almost ready to open.
Construction started in early 2017 on widening the 5.9km section of SH1 between Rangiriri and Hampton Downs to create the new highway. The south-bound lanes are being built first, and when two-way traffic switches to the new lanes it makes room for construction of the north-bound lanes.
The NZ Transport Agency says the first staged switch over 1.4km is expected to happen on Friday, weather permitting, then another bigger section comes into use next month.
“Everyone connected with the project is looking forward to this milestone,” says NZ Transport Agency Delivery Portfolio manager, Peter Simcock.
“People using the road will see the progress and it shows the Longswamp section is on track, weather and other factors permitting, for completion next year.”
Only south-bound traffic will switch to the new lanes on Friday, south of the old Hall Road intersection with SH1, around noon. After some central median barrier work, north-bound traffic will move over the following week.
A second major switch is scheduled for a 2.5km section further north in late May. Both lanes will move at the same date, from 1km north of the old Whangamarino Rd intersection to just south of the new Paddy Rd overbridge.
“People travelling through the site since work began last year have been very patient and it’s great to start seeing this sort of progress,” Mr Simcock said.
“We now have the local road extensions open at Whangamarino and Rodda Road and they will be joined up later this year when we can open the overbridge now under construction at Paddy Road.”
The entire route remains under a 70km/h speed restriction.
Meanwhile another traffic movement is looming, on the Huntly section of the expressway.
Currently north and south-bound traffic is sharing what will be the Huntly off-ramp. Later next month traffic will move over to the future on-ramp, creating room for the project team to build the bridge over the adjacent railway line.
The 15km Huntly section is due for completion in 2020.
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: NZ Transport Agency revoking certifications for heavy vehicle towbars
Revocation notices are being sent to the owners of 802 heavy vehicles fitted with towbars certified by Peter Wastney Engineering Ltd.
The revocation action is being taken to address concerns identified through visual inspections of vehicles carried out by specialist certifiers as part of the NZ Transport Agency’s response to broader safety issues relating to Peter Wastney Engineering Ltd.
The inspections have been carried out following the issuing of a heavy vehicle safety alert by the Transport Agency on 14 February 2018 which required the operators of vehicles with affected towbars, drawbeams, or drawbars to urgently have them cleaned and inspected for signs of cracks or other failures, carry out daily inspections before use and discontinue using the vehicles if any cracks or failures were found.
The heavy vehicle safety alert was issued in response to an investigation carried out by the Transport Agency following an on-road drawbeam failure in August 2017 which resulted in a heavy trailer disconnecting from a truck and struck an embankment on SH6 near Nelson. As part of that investigation an independent engineering review was undertaken, which established that some towing connections were not adequately designed for the loads to which they had been certified by Peter Wastney Engineering Ltd. Mr Wastney’s status as an approved heavy vehicle certifier was suspended in September 2017, and he has since surrendered his certification authority.
NZTA Operational Standards Manager Craig Basher says visual inspections of tow bars carried out by specialist certifiers since the publication of the safety notice indicated that 61 of 62 towbars inspected were not fit for purpose and could potentially fail while in use on the road.
“Given these findings we are taking immediate action to revoke the certifications for all towbars certified by Peter Wastney Engineering Ltd in order to address the serious safety risks involved. These towbars will need to be removed, replaced, or inspected and re-certified by an approved independent heavy vehicle specialist engineer. The vehicles may continue to operate on the road in the interim, provided the towbars are not used.”
The majority of the affected vehicles are located in the Nelson, Marlborough, Tasman and West Coast areas. Mr Basher says the Transport Agency is aware of the significant impact this action will have on vehicle owners.
“We understand what this action means and the potential disruption it may cause, and this is not a decision we have taken lightly. Given the evidence to hand we believe it is imperative to take this action to protect the safety of road users. To lessen the impact on owners, we have issued exemptions to allow the vehicles to continue to operate on the road in the interim, provided the towing connections are not used.”
The Transport Agency is sending the revocation notices to the owners of affected vehicles today.
Mr Basher says visual inspections of 23 affected heavy vehicle drawbeams and drawbars by specialist certifiers have also raised concerns, with at least one drawbar requiring immediate repair. An urgent review of the certification documents and engineering assessments for the drawbeams and drawbars fitted to another 700 heavy trucks and trailers covered by the safety alert is now underway, in order to determine if further revocations or other actions are required. A decision is expected to be made and communicated to affected vehicle owners later this week.
More information can be found on our website at www.nzta.govt.nz/pwe-revocation
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Auckland’s Southern Motorway reopens but expect delays
The crash at East Tamaki closed all southbound lanes causing traffic to back up as far as Mt Wellington, says Auckland Transport Operations Centre Manager Rua Pani.
Northbound lanes remained open, but rubberneckers were causing traffic to build up and queues were back to Mt Wellington.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area or delay their travel.
Alternative routes south are to use Great South Road for shorter journeys or to go by the Western Ring Route taking SH 16 through the Waterview Tunnel and SH20 to reconnect with SH1 south of the crash site.
The Transport Agency thanks motorists for their patience and understanding. Please avoid the area, take an alternative route or delay your travel.
Motorists can get real time information from
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Serious crash closes Auckland’s Southern Motorway
The crash at East Tamaki happened at about 12:30 and police are investigating. Police are hoping to reopen the motorway soon but motorists can expect long delays and are advised to avoid the area or delay their travel, says Auckland Transport Operations Centre Manager Rua Pani.
Alternative routes south are to use Great South Road for shorter journeys or to go by the Western Ring Route taking SH 16 and SH20 to reconnect with SH1 south of the crash site.
Traffic is backing up in both directions on the motorway with southbound traffic queued back to Mt Wellington. All northbound lanes are open but rubberneckers are causing traffic to build up and queues are back to Manukau, says Ms Pani
The Transport Agency thanks motorists for their patience and understanding while police and emergency services work at the crash site. Please avoid the area, take an alternative route or delay your travel.
Motorists can get real time information from:
For Auckland and Northland
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Auckland overnight motorway closures 22–28 April 2018
Check daily updated closure information
Please follow the signposted detours. The Transport Agency thanks you for your co-operation during these essential improvements and maintenance.
For updates on state highway conditions and hazards visit: www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz
Auckland roads and public transport: www.at.govt.nz
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