Keeping drivers in the loop – new technology coming for State Highway 1 and State Highway 59

Keeping drivers up to speed will be a major benefit from technology due to be installed along State Highway 1 and part of State Highway 59 in Wellington.

The work will see new speed management and traffic monitoring equipment installed on the highways. It continues initiatives begun in 2021 as part of a network operational readiness programme and the Transmission Gully motorway and its changes to traffic patterns. Two phases of the programme were completed last year.

Mark Owen, Regional Manager, Maintenance and Operations, says the next steps are to improve how the highways are monitored and managed between Tawa and Porirua. New technology and electronic signs will be installed on the routes.

“They will help people drive the roads more easily and keep them informed of any incidents or crashes ahead. But it also helps our teams who monitor and manage the highway network. Better technology and improved communications make their work more efficient. They will have a much better picture of what is happening on the highways, which will help them to respond much faster to any incidents that may occur.”

“The end result is much safer highways,” Mr Owen says.

Planned work:

• Approximately 1.6 kilometres of cabling will be laid alongside the southbound lanes of the two state highways. It will provide fibre connections to the new infrastructure and previous works in place near Tawa. 
• Two additional overhead cantilever gantries will be installed. They will hold new electronic variable speed limit signs and additional traffic cameras.
• Until the variable speed signs are operational, the speed limit through the project areas will remain at 100 km/h.

Mark Owen says work will begin before the end of the month and continue until early 2024.

“Our contractors are very good at installing this infrastructure quickly and efficiently, but it must be done safely. Doing the work at night when traffic volumes are lower means safer conditions for workers and less disruption for drivers. We will let people know well in advance about planned detours and lane closures.”

Works schedule:

• From Sunday, 20 August there will be southbound lane closures on State Highway 1 between Porirua and Tawa.
• They will be in place nightly, Sunday through to Thursday, between 6 pm and 5.30 am.
• There will also be some day works, starting Monday, 21 August, between 6 am to 6 pm.

More information about this project can be found on the Waka Kotahi website:

Wellington Network Operational Readiness