Call for SH2 upgrade after latest death

The accident scene on SH2 on Friday.

An irate construction worker wants something done about the high number of deaths on State Highway 2.

A pedestrian killed after being hit by a truck in Te Puna on Friday was the ninth death in the last 13 months on the highway between Bethlehem and Waihi, and the second death on this road this year.

Steve Callagher, a construction worker who does a lot of driving throughout the district, told the Bay of Plenty Times the stretch of road was lethal because there was no margin of error if someone made a mistake.

"The road is not being enhanced at all. It seems the city is avoiding the issue, it's great they're doing work on the Tauranga Eastern Link but the Te Puna road is more highly trafficked.

"I'm amazed at the amount of traffic that uses that road every day. Eight deaths in the last 13 months is too much."

New Zealand Transport Agency Bay of Plenty highway manager Niclas Johansson said the agency was working hard to help create a transport system that was increasingly free of deaths and serious injuries.

The stretch of State Highway 2 between Bethlehem and Waihi ranked 14th on the national risk list of highways, and the main causes of the crashes between 2009 and 2013 were crossing the centre line, turning across traffic and running off the road.

"Over the past year we have been working on several safety improvements along the route, including installing safety barriers, widening sections of highway and installing new electronic curve warning signage.

"We are also in the early stages of a Safe System project, which aims to reduce the number of head-on and intersection crashes on the stretch of highway by creating a more forgiving road environment so crashes don't result in death or serious injury."

Mr Johansson said as part of the project the agency was looking at installing median barriers to help prevent head-on crashes, guard rails to help prevent cars running off the road, and roundabouts that will help to make intersections more forgiving if someone makes a mistake such as crossing the centre line.

The Safe System project will also look at ensuring speed limits suit the road environment.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council transport policy manager Garry Maloney said the SH2 Northern Corridor Safe System Programme was included in the draft Regional Land Transport Plan, which closed for submissions from the public on Thursday.

This is ranked fifth in the list of activities put forward in the draft plan, which was prepared by the Regional Transport Committee and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.