Community input is being sought on a variety of speed limit changes and new names proposed for State Highway 2 between Domain Road and Paengaroa.
The highway will revert to local road when the Tauranga Eastern Link opens later this year, and is expected to service traffic heading to and from Te Puke.
A host of new speed limits for Te Puke have been suggested by the district council.
It will be operated by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
As part of the handover, the council is required to review and adopt speed limits along the stretch of road.
Road safety engineers have assessed the road in accordance with national practice, and made suggestions to Council, says WBOPDC group manager for infrastructure services, Gary Allis.
'Council is proposing the speed limit on the rural sections be 80km/h to improve safety and reflect the changed function of the road,” says Gary.
'We're also proposing to extend the 50km/h section to the Domain Road side of Te Puke Quarry Road and to extend the 70km/h limit in the same area.
'On the east side of Te Puke the proposal is to replace the present 80km/h section with 70 km/h.”
The proposals are now open for public consultation, and residents are strongly encouraged to make their views of these suggestions known.
Two new stretches of road need to be renamed – from Domain Road to Te Puke Quarry Road (Western end) and from No 1 Road to the intersection with SH33 at Paengaroa (Eastern end).
Jellicoe Street, from Te Puke Quarry Road through Te Puke to No 1 Road, will not be changed.
Proposed names so far for the western side of the existing SH2 are: McNaughton Road, Long Swamp Road, Packhouse Road, Whiteside Road, Jutland Road (relating to the WWI naval battle involving Admiral John Jellicoe), Green Road and Gold Road.
Suggestions for the Eastern stretch are: Goodness Highway, Te Kapua Road (Captain of the Te Arawa canoe), Huanui Highway (translation – Highway), Jutland Road, Packhouse Road, Green Road and Gold Road.
The council is seeking public feedback on a list of suggested names, and asking residents to offer further suggestions.
Along with these changes, the Transport Agency and Council are working to ensure the Te Puke Corridor is ‘fit for purpose' for its new function as an arterial road serving the Te Puke community.
This includes ensuring the road encourages through-traffic to use the TEL, unless they need, or want, to travel through Te Puke.
'We also aim to attract more business and leisure travellers to stop in Te Puke to take advantage of the boutique retail area and enjoy the friendly service and easy parking,” says Gary.
A range of improvement and maintenance work, estimated to cost about $10million, will be undertaken by the Transport Agency, including safety improvements, and the addition of a wide centre line in the current 100km/h sections.
Council is also preparing to begin work on a recently adopted urban improvement plan for the section from the Te Puke commercial area to No3 Road, which will cost around $950,000.
Submission forms for both speed limits and road names can be completed online from Friday, 23 January at: www.westernbay.govt.nz
Submissions close at 5pm on Friday February 27, 2015.
27 comments
With all of those
Posted on 22-01-2015 12:56 | By s83cruiser
speed changes over such a short distance it's going to be a veritable feast for the revenue gathers. I can see it now....Cop cars lining up to take their turn at pulling over unsuspecting motorist that have driven into another speed zone that will cost them demerits and a fine. A feast a veritable feast. Here's a novel idea what about ONE SPEED LIMIT right through the proposed area or will that not meet with the forecast revenue take from this stretch of road after all more finds means greater safety or so we are told. People are going to be that paranoid about watching their speedo's there will be more accidents. Come on District Council put the revenue gathering aside for the sake of sensibility why don't you. Life is not all about extracting money from poor unsuspecting motorist you know.
No Change
Posted on 22-01-2015 13:50 | By tabatha
If the road is like it was when I was doing a courier run those were the speed limits we did because very few people went the maximum speed allowed.
Don't worry -
Posted on 22-01-2015 14:07 | By The Caveman
clearly from the map the decisions have already been made. "Road safety engineers have assessed the road in accordance with national practice" says it all. No matter what the public say, nothing will change and you will find police scatter all along the route, revenue gathering.....
Revenue generating
Posted on 22-01-2015 14:44 | By Kiwis
I agree with above 'With all of those”. As a daily commuter on this stretch of road (Te Puke thru to the SH2/SH33 roundabout) - the proposed speed restrictions are ludicrous! Chopping & changing between 70 and 80km will only result on more confusion & the police revenue generating! Here's a novel idea - make it one speed the whole way (with the exception of thru Te Puke township) if it has to be 80km so be it, although I still think that is unnecessary. Technically there will be less traffic on the road so what is wrong with existing 100km limit?
.
Posted on 22-01-2015 14:47 | By whatsinaname
all these speed limits confusing. you don't no where you are. keep it simple
Ridiculous
Posted on 22-01-2015 15:33 | By mutley
There are stretches of road which are completely safe at 100km/h so why have these been reduced to 80 ? Surely not to encourage drivers to use the new TEL ? It happened with Cambridge Rd to get more traffic onto the expressway, so why not repeat the same dirty trick here. Some people are compelled to use the existing road and should not be penalised for that fact by having to dawdle along at 80 km/h on a road that was SH2 and fit for 100km/h.
What the.....
Posted on 22-01-2015 17:32 | By Angel74
Sounds all too confusing and where does the idea of 110km fit in what happened to 50km in town 100km open road on straight roads.
Why Change ?
Posted on 22-01-2015 17:44 | By local yokel
Why change the speed limits at all as they have all worked well in the past even with heavy traffic flowing through. Once the Eastern Highway is opened there will be a lot less traffic anyway so whats the point? If they want to play with it, just drop the speed down on the approaches to the Domain Road Roundabout junction and the same on the Paeangaroa Roundabout junction.
Don't kill the town
Posted on 22-01-2015 17:45 | By lmm
The road will be safer by fact that less cars will be using that old route once the shortened and therefore quicker option opens. No need to hold up locals or deter visitors by reducing speed limits. Will only encourage some locals to avoid frustrating slow drivers and head to Papamoa or the Mount.
Safer road
Posted on 22-01-2015 18:12 | By Johnney
So why restrict a road like this when you can legally travel on all the side roads off this path at 100 kph. Do we actually pay morons for these suggestions. Sounds like they collude with the police and the toll collectors. All the 80kph should be 100kph. Remember there will be a lot less traffic once the bypass opens.
Qualification
Posted on 22-01-2015 18:18 | By Johnney
Which university do I have to go to to get a degree as a road safety engineer. Never heard of such a qualification.
Daniel
Posted on 22-01-2015 19:43 | By DanielT
So there will be less traffic, but they want to reduce the speed limit? That's senseless. There's nothing wrong with the road at the current 100kmh limit in most places.
Boffin Madness
Posted on 22-01-2015 21:39 | By debarthowz
I agree that too many speed limit changes are confusing. The Te Puke Road (Note the logical name!) has always been a bit bumpy especially in a truck and trailer and I found 90 was a good all round speed like it is North East of Tauranga. No doubt nothing much will get spent on the road and it will remain bumpy. I for one will continue to use it as I opposed the idea of the general public having to pay a lifetime of tolls to go about their dayly business. The Queens Highway should be free for all - not just the privileged.
No Good
Posted on 22-01-2015 22:06 | By compton
Revenue grabbing at its finest right here. Forcing people to use the toll road, same as Cambridge road, by reducing the speed limit. Cops will have a field day too fining people like me that have driven that road every day for the last 22 years at 100kph and wont take notice of the new limits. I will spray paint every 80 sign back to 100
Ulterior motive
Posted on 22-01-2015 22:54 | By LeeW
Ridiculous! The only reason for reducing the speed limit is to encourage people to use the toll road. Doesn't help the Te Puke residents who dont have access to the new highway. If the road is safe at 100km with current traffic volumes, why does speed limit need to be reduced when there is less traffic?
Ah well.......
Posted on 22-01-2015 23:50 | By groutby
It's not actually about changing road speed for the sake of saving lives is it?..it's about (trying to and continually get away with) keeping our jobs for a bit longer by changing something which is working just fine thank you....and you don't think we know that?
State Highway 2
Posted on 23-01-2015 07:12 | By Johnney
Why don't they call it State Highway 2. No arguments then. Maybe call it the Toll Road because that's what it will be.
A cunning plot
Posted on 23-01-2015 08:30 | By Floyd
Seems like a cunning plot to force drivers to use the toll road. Give them the option of a really slow trip at no cost or a fast trip and pay tolls. Plenty of options for a speed camera on the slow route. Suspicious.
Plain n Simple
Posted on 23-01-2015 09:18 | By Capt_Kaveman
Leave at 100kph only change where it drops to 70kph make it 60kph and move the 50 to Oroua St then 50 through Te Puke
The decision has been made.
Posted on 24-01-2015 10:10 | By TheCameltoeKid
The call by the council for submissions is a farce. Any submissions opposing it will be binned.The council will say they are legally required to call for them but they simply will ignore any that they don't like. They spent millions upgrading Whakamarama road only to reduce the speed limit. How backward is that! I sent in a submission opposing any reduction and got a letter back from the council thanking me for my submission requesting a reduction of the speed limit. It's purely lip service.
Wisechief
Posted on 25-01-2015 11:07 | By Wise Chief
Wonder why this road & lands either side weren't given back to local whanau from Tia/Tapuika who's lands these roads are on which were taken without compensation. It was curious Treaty of Waitangi Commission rejected my application for all these and other lands to be returned and two days later the notice to hand them to council was published. Obviously some skullduggery as per usual from the pale crew brigade. Not one skerret of honour from these Brit Settler carpetbaggers since arrival 170 odd years ago and still none today. Pure scum.Every Maori in BOP region should take note of what happened here and remember this is what happens when a Regional Council is given overriding control along with DOC to commandeer the rest. The intent as always as I witnessed take place when RC was set up AK is theft via rates & other taxes your remaining Maori land
Oppose it
Posted on 26-01-2015 18:20 | By Skagg
This is not about Council revenue gathering - council does not police the roads. It is all about reducing the cost of maintaining the road as costs transfer from NZTA to WBOPDC. The higher the speed limit the more you need to spend to meet safety standards. Just like the SH2 section between Bethlehem and Whakamarama - which was reduced from 100 to 90 as a "trial" but is now permanent. Our local highways represent some of the worst maintained in NZ and reducing speed limits will continue that trend.
A Joke
Posted on 27-01-2015 19:35 | By swt3
It's only going to make people 'nodd' off to sleep more than normal, because they are losing concentration while driving. They are going too dam slow.
Wisechief
Posted on 28-01-2015 09:38 | By Wise Chief
Be fair warned Te Arawa Maori that the whole function of the RC is take over all your lands for zero real input or cost and to place very highly paid dermally pale crew RC Councillors as overseers over You very much like what happened under Apartheid in SA and Zimbabwe. This tactic has been implemented worldwide to strip local indigenous of their resources and lands. Notice how it will be the local Maori's as per usual and not settlers who will make the largest continuous financial input going forwards including having to forgo the use of inherited land asset inputs over the RC zero input. They are not adding anything but taking under the guise of doing something beneficial when such is not the real intent. Land annexation via use of local bylaws and not gun is the TRUE agenda. SAY NO NO NO NO NO NO
100Km Speed!
Posted on 30-01-2015 21:13 | By Blessed
leave the speed at 100 between Paengaroa and Waitangi(pah road), 70 from Waitangi to No1 road, and 50 thru town, 70 from Collins lane to Manoeka road, then 100 all the way to Papamoa junction. With many vehicles on the TEL,why drop the speed? How about Te Puke East Highway and Te Puke West HW.....
Dumbing down !!
Posted on 31-01-2015 14:11 | By Chevyman
I agree with "Blessed" and most other comments. Leave the 100 km/hr limit as it is, just increase the distance of 50 and 70 km/hr zones to the edge of town. We will nod off with the 80 k limits and cause more accidents, especially if the toll road does its job of taking most of the through traffic. Don't dumb us down any more !!!
Wisechief
Posted on 04-02-2015 03:32 | By Kenworthlogger
So can you clear something up for me please. So when The Maoris fought each other they did not take any land off one another????
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