Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency reviewed the speed limit on State Highway 8 through Burkes Pass to ensure it is safe and appropriate for the road.
Burkes Pass is primarily rural residential with some commercial activities and a historic church. The township is a popular stopping location on SH8. People park in the laybys and walk across the road. The road is on a curve which reduces sightlines for both pedestrians and drivers pulling onto the highway.
In the 10-year period between 2009 and 2018, there have been two crashes on the highway. One of these resulted in a person incurring a minor injury. The average speed people are currently driving in Burkes Pass is 74–83km/h.
We talked to the community, the council, the local police, AA and local businesses about the current speed limit in Burkes Pass. Some members in the community did express concern about the speed people are travelling at on this road and the risk this poses to pedestrians and other road users.
The following speed limit was proposed during consultation and has now been set as the new permanent speed limit. The new permanent speed limits takes effect from 12 October.
| Location | Current speed limit | New speed limit from 12 October 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| SH8 Burkes Pass - from 260m northeast of Rollesby Valley Road to 350m southwest of Rollesby Valley Road. | 80 km/h | 60 km/h |
When determining the proposed speed limit that we consulted on, we reviewed the speeds that people are currently driving on this road, as well as the road itself. The speed limit of 60km/h was assessed to be the safe and appropriate speed limit for this road.
Crash History
In the 10-year period between 2009 and 2018, there have been two crashes on the highway involved in the Burkes Pass speed review. One of these resulted in a person incurring a minor injury.
Travel times
The new permanent speed limit will have minimal impact on travel times. Over the 610-metre distance, the increase in travel time will be approximately 10 seconds.
Find out more about the Burkes Pass permanent speed limits by reading the frequently asked questions.
Waka Kotahi consulted on the speeds on SH8, Burkes Pass between 21 October and 15 November 2019. 44 submissions were received during the consultation period from stakeholder organisations and the public.
More information about speed and the speed review process is available on the Speed Review Programme webpage.
SH8 Tekapo and Burkes Pass speed review community engagement