People have one more week to have their say on proposed speed limit changes for several state highways, including through Tauriko Village and the Ōmanawa Rd intersection.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) says submissions on proposed speed limit changes across Waikato and Bay of Plenty close at 5pm on August 27.

The proposals are part of a targeted review of speed limits at high-risk locations throughout the two regions, with community feedback to be considered alongside safety, technical and cost-benefit assessments.

In the Bay of Plenty, NZTA is proposing:

- Reducing the speed limit through SH29 Tauriko Village from 70km/h to 60km/h.

- Installing an Intersection Speed Zone (ISZ) at the SH29 Ōmanawa Rd intersection, which would temporarily lower speeds from 100km/h to 60km/h when activated.

- Removing the variable speed limit outside Tauriko School after the school’s entrance was moved off the state highway.

NZTA Waikato Bay of Plenty regional relationships director Andrew Corkill said community feedback played an important role in the decision-making process.

“Along with safety, technical, cost, benefit and other data, community feedback is a part of the process we can’t do without when determining whether we should change speed limits in these locations. Local and road-user insights are invaluable.”

Several locations in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty have been identified for targeted speed reviews. Image / NZTA

The consultation also includes several proposals in Waikato and the Coromandel, including speed reductions at Te Rerenga and Whenuakite, a new intersection speed zone in Whitianga, and changes at Matamata, Whatawhata, Pirongia and Te Kūiti.

The proposed intersection speed zones form part of the Safe System approach to road safety.

The electronic signs activate when vehicles are detected approaching an intersection, temporarily reducing speeds and giving drivers more time to react.

“The goal of ISZs is to slow down state highway traffic to make it safer for people to pull into or out of a side road,” Corkill said.

“They don’t completely prevent crashes, but research shows they do help to mitigate the risk of them occurring and the severity when they do.”

NZTA says social media comments cannot be counted as official submissions, with feedback required through its online consultation process before the deadline.

More information and submission forms are available through NZTA’s targeted speed limit review webpages for the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions.