Three Waikato mayors are calling for immediate safety measures to be installed on a fatal stretch of State Highway 1.
Waipā's Jim Mylchreest, Hamilton's Paula Southgate and Waikato's Allan Sanson sent a letter to the Minister of Transport Michael Wood on Thursday, wanting improvements to the section of road just south of Cambridge after the end of the Waikato Expressway through to Piarere.
The urgency of the matter was highlighted with the third death on the road in less than a month on Wednesday.
The driver of a white minivan died when his vehicle and a truck and trailer unit collided just before 5am, near Hickey Rd.
Last month ambulance driver Susan Cutler and Auckland man Deon Hadley died when an Audi and ambulance crashed in the early hours of September 15.
The letter, which has also been sent to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Deputy PM Grant Robertson and Minister of Police Chris Hipkins, says 'the road has an intolerable record of death and destruction”.
It states that far too many people have lost their lives on this portion of SH1 and far too many have been injured.
They are seeking immediate action and asking Wood to direct Waka Kotahi to consider a range of rapid safety measures.
A van driver died in crash on SH1 just south of Cambridge on Wednesday.
”We are seeking a demonstrable change to the roading environment and ask consideration be given to tools like safe hit posts, rumble strips, reduced speed limits, speed cameras and pavement markings.”
They also request a much more visible police presence on that stretch of road, to be in place immediately and over a sustained period of time, including the summer holiday period.
Meanwhile, Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO Don Good is calling for the extension of the Waikato Expressway through to Piarere intersection to stop fatal crashes.
He says Waka Kotahi's planned safety improvements won't be completed for at least two years.
'That is an unacceptable delay and the Minister of Transport will be responsible if more people die on this stretch of road.
'Wouldn't it be amazing if Minister Wood came out and said, ‘We got it wrong. We will start the safety improvements on this northern section in October this year, and we will fund and get the Expressway from Cambridge to Piarere completed with work starting this year as well'.”
Good wants Wood and Waka Kotahi chief executive Nicole Rosie to visit the stretch of road.
'To see what an absolute death trap it is.”
Waka Kotahi director of regional relationships David Speirs says SH1 between Cambridge and Piarere is a concern and a priority for them.
He says designs are well underway to improve the safety of the road from the end of the Waikato Expressway through to Fergusson Gully Road.
”This has been complex work due to many intersections, access ways and properties. The priority is reducing the risk of head-on crashes and improving intersection safety, including at SH1/Karapiro Rd and Hickey Rd.”
The concept designs have been approved, and it's hoped installation can begin in 2023 once the detailed design which involves full landowner, stakeholder and community engagement is completed.
Waka Kotahi has previously stated there is no current funding for an extension of the Waikato Expressway through to Piarere.
They are proposing a 16km four-lane expressway from the southern end of the Cambridge section to the intersection of SH29/1 at Piarere, however it's not likely to happen for at least a decade.
Comment has been sought from Minister Wood's office.
4 comments
Not sure about unsafe road
Posted on 07-10-2022 08:43 | By Womby
I drove past this crash site yesterday and saw the skid marks and dented armco barrier. Sorry for the occupants but there’s nothing wrong with the road at that bend, it’s a gradual, well cambered bend. I travel this road weekly and generally the traffic is well behaved, even below the speed limit usually, apart from the odd clown, but it does not have the wire rope centre barrier but that is like most of NZ roads. The wire would have helped as every road with these wires , particularly on a slight bend but also on straight roads , are often seen to be damaged. Stay left , stay sober, stay awake, no texting, and hope everyone else is doing the same
It's not the road that's
Posted on 07-10-2022 08:43 | By earlybird
dangerous, it's the poor driving skills that are to blame. I've driven through that area many many times and there's nothing wrong with the road.
road
Posted on 07-10-2022 09:47 | By dumbkof2
absolutely nothing wrong with this road. its the drivers that speed cut corners or fail to stop and give way
Hmmm
Posted on 07-10-2022 15:55 | By Let's get real
All other comments are spot-on in identifying poor driver abilities. I would suggest that we have some of the very worst driver training in the world. Anyone can appear competent for a fifteen to twenty minute drive and identifying passed on habits from Mum and Dad isn't a realistic chance. We're far too quick to reduce speeds, thinking that this will solve a problem which actually lies elsewhere. Driver attention, high quality prominent roading and hazard signage and proper training, to identify hazards and understand road conditions is what is desperately needed to reduce the number of crashes. But it's cheaper and easier to reduce national road speed for those of us that comply with the law and pay consultants to suggest that the only option is to put in a roundabout, traffic lights or speed humps.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.