State Highway 2 barriers: Fight continues after Sunday’s rolling protest

An image from Sunday’s protest. Photo / Michaela Barratt

The State Highway 2 community says it is still determined to stop NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s plan to install median barriers to prevent right-hand turns on to side streets.

Members of the community near Katikati say they are concerned about NZTA’s proposed median barriers which would prevent right-hand turns on to side streets, restricting access to their homes and disconnecting them from the community.

On Sunday the community gathered for a rolling protest involving vehicles travelling around 30 to 40km/h from Katikati to Aongatete.

Former Western Bay of Plenty District councillor and Work Rd side road resident Mike Williams said they were “pretty pleased with the turnout”.

“One hundred and two cars with their hazard lights on, five police cars on different side roads, and a tractor.

“We went from Sharp Rd to Matahui Rd and circled about six to eight times. We would have held traffic up by about three to four minutes.”

Willaims said the protest lasted about an hour and 20 minutes, and afterwards, everyone went home or “out for a drink and a chinwag”.

Participants in Sunday’s protest. Photo / Mike Williams

“There were some interesting banners. It’s whether the message gets through to NZTA that’s the interesting part.”

Lyn de Graaf, one of the organisers of the protest, said it was really well managed.

“We got good advice from the local police and the traffic police that monitored the situation were really great to deal with.

“We slowed down people’s journeys a bit but didn’t cause massive congestion. I don’t think anyone was posting on the Facebook group saying there’s a massive tailback all the way to Te Puna.”

She said the protest aimed to educate people about the situation before it was too late.

“For us, it’s worth it because we’re doing it for the vulnerable members of our community that need an ambulance and every minute counts.”

Williams said if the median barriers were installed, blocking access to right-hand side roads, it would take “another seven kilometres” of travel to access the side roads.

Gino de Graaf said another result of the median barriers was that emergency responses would be delayed, and community connection to services and support would be reduced.

Photos from Sunday’s protest. Photo / Mike Williams

“The next thing you’ll know, we’ll be lying down on the road trying to stop the work. We just want them to take a moment to do the feasibility study properly, to consider the impact on the community, and to design it in a way that reduces frustration, reduces safety risks,” Lyn said.

Western Bay of Plenty mayor James Denyer said: “I have had several conversations with senior officials at NZTA on this topic.

“I also highlighted the community’s concerns in a letter to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown on May 16, following the passionate expression of opposition from a large number of people at the Katikati-Waihī Beach Community Forum the previous day.

“Yesterday, on June 9, I attended and participated in the community-organised rolling roadblock on SH2 and saw the commitment of those opposed to the barriers, but note that there is no current indication that NZTA or the minister will change tack and the works are already contracted.

“This project is a trade-off between the proven safety benefits of such barriers and the inconvenience and longer journeys that the barriers necessitate.

“I think a better balance could be struck and have pushed for consideration of gaps in the barrier to allow for at least right-hand turns into side roads, where it is safe to do so, and on the advice of qualified roading engineers.”

Brown said: “Local MP Scott Simpson has expressed to me that there is a high level of frustration with the installation of median barriers across State Highway 2 as this results in lengthy detours for people who live on roads coming off State Highway 2.

“I’ve been advised that 75 per cent of all median barrier works have been completed and that this project was fully funded and committed through decisions made prior to the current Government.

“I have asked NZTA to look at the impact the proposed barriers have on access to residents on side streets off State Highway 2.”

A NZ Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi spokesperson, said: “The inclusion of flexible median barrier is a safety enhancement to the current widening works and has undergone several stages of public and stakeholder consultation (including emergency services); you can read a summary of this here and below.

“We listened to a range of views expressed during the consultation process, which included concerns about the extra travel time perceived as a result of installing median barriers and roundabouts.

“All feedback is important to us and helped inform the shape of the designs and next steps for this section of SH2.

“We held open days in May 2023 to share the draft detailed design for these improvements; this process included an independent safety audit.

Photos from Sunday’s protest. Photo / Mike Williams

“Aside from reducing the risk of people being hurt or killed when a crash happens when the flexible median barrier is installed, there will be a minimum 6.25-metre space between the guardrail at the edge of the road and the barrier in the centre, allowing room for emergency services to get past in an emergency.

“Emergency services would expect motorists to adopt common courtesy, ensuring they slow down and move their vehicle as far to the side of the road as safely possible.

“In the event of a crash, flexible safety barriers can also be pulled out of the road quickly and easily to allow access for emergency service vehicles and clean-up operations.

“The design solutions and improvements included in this project are about keeping people safe.

“While we appreciate convenience and travel time are important to people as they move about, our work is proven to save lives and reduce the risk of crashes.

“The SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa feasibility design report is available to view on our website.”