Category: Transport

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: NZ Transport Agency seeks feedback on Gisborne’s roading network

Director of Regional Relationships Emma Speight says the Transport Agency is working closely with partners and stakeholders to support the Tairāwhiti (Gisborne) Economic Action Plan. 

“We are now seeking public feedback to help us shape future transport solutions, as well as improve what we are doing right now. The Connecting Tairāwhiti project is about the Transport Agency and its partners supporting the region through transport solutions to grow and strengthen the regional economy,” Ms Speight says.

“This work will include safety improvements considerations and will align with new priorities in the draft Government Policy Statement on land transport.”

The aim of the transport initiatives outlined in the Economic Action Plan is for the Gisborne region to: improve transport and digital connections to ensure major industries have the ability to be competitive internationally and get products, services and offerings to customers at the right time. 

Ms Speight says the programme business case under development will look at ways in which the transport system can contribute to economic development in the region, in particular, how it can support development of primary industries and tourism.

“It will provide a case for investment in the regional transport network and identify a broad range of alternatives and options to inform the Regional Land Transport Plan.”

For instance, some areas of the Tairāwhiti region are underutilised because of their poor transport connections, and the Transport Agency is particularly interested in feedback on what improvements might be made so that the roading network supports economic development more effectively in future.

“We are also seeking information and ideas about what could be done to improve the roads between Gisborne and Napier, and between Gisborne and Opotiki.”

The Transport Agency invites people to share their thoughts at www.nzta.govt.nz/ConnectingTairawhiti 

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Construction to start this year on Te Awa – Cambridge to Hamilton shared path

Work is set to start on the final piece of the Te Awa River Ride shared path, between Cambridge and Hamilton, later this year.

Funding has been confirmed for the NZ Transport Agency to build the first section of the 20km path, which is the last link in providing a continuous cycling and walking route from Karapiro to Ngaruawahia.

“We’re delighted to be able to begin work on Te Awa – Cambridge to Hamilton which will provide a safe cycling alternative for our communities,” says the Transport Agency’s Director Regional Relationships Central North Island Parekawhia McLean.

The final route details are still being finalised but it will be a combination of roadside paths and purpose-built sections nearer the river which will provide connections to community facilities and the existing cycle networks of Cambridge, Tamahere and Hamilton.

“Once this is complete we will have a 60 kilometre path from south of Karapiro to Ngaruawahia, providing amazing recreational and tourism opportunities for the Waikato,” says Te Awa River Ride Charitable Trust General Manager Jennifer Palmer.

“As part of a separate project, we’re also investigating how we can connect the southern end of Te Awa with the northern end of the Waikato River Trail at Horahora,” Ms Palmer says.

Te Awa – Cambridge to Hamilton will be built in four sections.

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: SH11 past Lemons Hill slip closed Sunday for removal of trees

The road will be closed between 8am – 5pm and motorists will have to use the detour route via State Highways 1, 10 and 11. Drivers should allow up to 30 minutes extra for the journey between Kawakawa and Paihia.

The road opened 24 hours a day to one way traffic on Wednesday under the control of stop/go traffic managers. it will be open again 24/7 from Sunday at 5pm.

“We did warn there would be planned closures on Sundays. We apologise for the inconvenience but Sunday has the lightest traffic and there’s no disruption to school and business users,” says the Transport Agency’s Northland System Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult.

The works are weather dependent and may be cancelled or postponed at short notice. 

Ms Hori-Hoult says her teams will continue to work on site while the road is open.

“We ask drivers to be vigilant, drive to the road conditions and adhere to the temporary speed limit. The safety of our work crews and all other road users remains our priority.”

Locals can sign up at http://www.nzta.govt.nz/sh11-lemons-hill-slip to receive an email update on slip clearing progress and details of how and when the road will be closed. Or go to http://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/sh11

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Reduced speed at two railway level crossings south and mid-Canterbury over the winter months

The NZ Transport Agency has put in place temporary, reduced speed limits of 50km/hour at two railway level crossings, controlled with Give Way or Stop signs, (not flashing lights and barriers) in south and mid Canterbury.

The sealed and curved approaches to the two level crossings at Winchester and Chertsey deteriorated in the hot summer conditions, with the seal “bleeding” or melting and the surface roughness being reduced.

As a result, if it rains, drivers were much more likely to slide on the road surface unless they are travelling at the temporary 50km/hour speed limit.

“We need to do a full road repair at these two level crossings in the coming spring/summer season,” says Pete Connors, Transport Agency System Manager. “In the meantime, for everyone’s safety, we will keep the temporary speed limits in place until these full repairs are completed. That will be until October at least.”

Crews have now completed minor road repairs using water cutting technology at the two sites, which reduces the potential for slipperiness in wet conditions, but is only a short term solution.

“Thanks to everyone who crosses SH1 at these points regularly for slowing down and taking care over the coming winter,” says Mr Connors.

“Additional safety measures will soon be undertaken to reinforce the need for the 50km/hour temporary speed limit at these two locations.”

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Speed limit changes from July around the Waterview Tunnel

“Following a comprehensive safety and operational review of the area and consultation with key partners and the public, we are planning a phased roll-out with the first of these changes occurring from July”, says the Transport Agency’s System Design Manager, Brett Gliddon.   

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Improvements underway to keep Hawke’s Bay bridges safe and resilient

The work, which started this week, will see structural improvements completed on seven bridges across the region over the next few months. The Transport Agency will keep traffic disruption to a minimum by working at night or on the weekend.

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Short delays driving through Oamaru for the next six weeks

“We ask people to build in a little extra time along Severn and Thames Streets in coming weeks as we make the highway surface safer in time for the icy winter months,” says Nick Rodger, NZ Transport Agency Maintenance Contract Manager. “We understand these delays may be frustrating but the aim is to provide a much safer highway ahead of the coldest winter months.”

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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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