The NZ Transport Agency is working with Tasman District Council to improve safety by reducing the speed limits on State Highway 60, from McShane Road to Maisey Road and nine adjoining local roads in the Tasman District. The changes will take place from Tuesday 18 December 2018.
Speed limits will be changed on the following:
State Highway 60 (SH60) between McShane Road and Maisey Road - from 100km/h to 80 km/h.
| Name | From | To | Current speed limit (km/h) | New speed limit | Existing typical* travel speeds | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SH60 | Three Brothers roundabout | Maisey Road | Mostly 100, 80 in sections | 80 | 80–84km/h | High crash history, roadside hazards, challenging intersections, numerous access ways. |
| Lower Queen Street |
Existing 80km/h |
End at river | 100 | 80 | 85km/h | Increasing traffic from commercial and residential development. More access ways. High cyclist usage. Section includes a 30km/h 90-degree bend with a four-way intersection. |
| Lansdowne Road | All | 100 | 80 | 84km/h | Section includes a 30km/h 90 degree bend with a four-way intersection onto Lower Queen Street. Increasing traffic from commercial development and increasing number of access ways. | |
| Best Island Road | All | 100 | 80 | A lack of shoulder width with sharp, out of context curves. Crash history confirms high-risk area. Speed limit should be consistent with Lower Queen Street and Lansdowne Road. | ||
| Barnett Ave | All | 100 | 60 | Lack of shoulder width with sharp, out of context curves. The alignment doesn’t allow for safe travel at 100km/h. Road approaches residential area. | ||
| Blackbyre Road | All | 100 | 80 | This road primarily provides access to industrial properties and is used by a large number of heavy commercial vehicles (20%). The relatively short road length (900m) means speeds are generally low. Speed limit should be consistent with SH60. | ||
| River Road (Appleby) | All | 100 | 60 | Lack of lane and shoulder width with a number of sharp, out of context curves. Crash history confirms high-risk area. | ||
| Redwood Road | All | 100 | 80 | 91km/h | Used by a large number of tourists and recreational users. Speed limit should be consistent with SH60. | |
| Research Orchard Road | All | 100 | 80 | Access visibility onto this residential cul-de-sac is limited due to vertical curves. The short length (400m) and narrow width means speeds are generally low. Speed limit should be consistent with SH60. | ||
| Pukeko Lane | All | 100 | 80 | The short length (220m) and alignment of this cul-de-sac means speeds are generally low. Speed limit should be consistent with SH60. |
*The measured 85 percentile travel speed, which is the speed exceeded by only 15% of drivers. The majority of drivers are travelling slower than this.
New speed limits were proposed for nine local roads that connect to SH60. This is because:
Submissions for this consultation closed on Saturday 28 August 2018.
These changes will not greatly affect travel times. For example, it will only take 1 minute and 11 seconds of additional travel time to drive SH60 from Three Brothers to Maisey Road at the new speed limit of 80km/h.
Reductions in speed limits are able to reduce the harm associated with crashes. In 2017, the Transport Agency conducted a review of the roads within the Tasman District where speed management was likely to have the greatest effect. Due to its crash history, the presence of roadside hazards and the number of challenging intersections and driveways, the section of SH60, between Three Brothers and Maisey Road was identified as being a high-risk route which would benefit from a speed management review.
| Crash history* | Three year crash record (2015 to 2017 | Ten year crash record (2008 to 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| SH60 9km long corridor from Three Brothers to Maisey Road |
|
|
| Local road selections included in this review |
|
|
*Crash Analysis System (CAS)
View larger image