The WAKA KOTAHI NZ TRANSPORT AGENCY Waikato Speed Review team has completed and published its review of highway speeds including the Raglan to Hamilton road SH 23.
The report says feedback for the road to Raglan was:
There were varying views on the speed on SH23 but all were unanimous about the area around Greenslade, Lorenzen Bay and Manukau Roads. The speed limit for that area is currently 100km/h and everyone agreed this is too high and needs to be extended towards Hamilton although there were various suggestions as to how far it should be extended.
There were some strong opinions, especially from those commuting daily that the speed limits should remain at 100km/h (apart from the Greenslade Road area, Te Uku and Whatawhata and over the Deviation). Concerns included the extra time it may take them, and they thought there would potentially be an increase in frustration which would lead to unsafe driving. Many believed the standard of drivers, especially visitors to Raglan, is an issue. More passing lanes / slow vehicle bays between Raglan and Hamilton were wanted by some and others suggested the slow vehicle bays are dangerous when traffic re-integrates, especially at the bottom of the Deviation. There were a number of people that felt the Raglan driving culture was intimidating and talked about feeling “monstered” when driving to/from Hamilton due to the tailgating and unsafe passing.
Waka Kotahi responses to this feedback is:
While passing lanes can help to get past slower vehicles, evidence shows that passing lanes do not improve safety or journey times on winding routes. Passing lanes can lead to faster speeds than what is safe and appropriate, especially given there is no separation between the opposing traffic flows. Short passing lanes can lead to poor judgement at both the two lane and merge points with increased head-on risk. Passing lanes on winding roads can mean entry into curves is faster resulting in more corner cutting or swinging wide.
Reducing the speed limit on SH23 especially is likely to give more consistent travel speeds, resulting in more uniform flow along the highway, potentially reducing driver frustration, harsh braking and acceleration. The current operational speeds are below the current speed limit of 100km/h (closer to 80km/h) so a speed limit closer to operating speed means traffic is likely to flow better.•SH23/39 intersection improvements in the form of a roundabout is proposed but construction is subject to funding availability.
Speed limits that are safe and appropriate has been shown as one of the best things we can do to prevent people being killed or seriously injured on our roads. Most crashes are caused by a number of factors, but it is speed which is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured or walks away unharmed. What’s going to happen next? Changing speed limits is a legal process and there are numerous steps we must follow under the Speed Management Guide and the Setting of Speed Limits Rule. We’ve read all the feedback you have provided during this engagement phase. We are using these insights along with the technical analysis to finalise our recommendation for what the safe and appropriate speeds should be for this road. The next step will be to formally consult on our recommendations. It is expected that the announcement of the consultation dates will be made shortly. The consultation will give locals, and others who are interested and affected an opportunity to let us know if t here are any other factors that we should consider when making our decision on the safe and appropriate speeds. Information on this speed review, including future consultation, can be accessed via our website: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh23-sh31-and-sh39-west-waikato-speed-review/