Consultation opens on SH35 speed limit review

NZ Transport Agency has opened consultation on a speed review for areas of Tamarau-Okitū along State Highway 35 subject to automatic reversals under the 2024 Setting of Speed Limits rule, after public backlash. Photo / / Zita Campbell

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is “strongly” recommending people affected by speed limit changes on State Highway 35 to make submissions for consultation.

NZTA opened a formal review of speed limits on two sections of SH35 in Gisborne and north of the city this week.

A Government rule change required speed limit reversals on some local roads and highways by July 1.

Specified sections of state highway categorised as “urban connectors” where speed limits have been lowered since January 1, 2020 are required to automatically revert to their previous higher speed limit.

In the Gisborne district, speed limits on SH35 will increase from 60km/h to 80km/h and from 60km/h to 70km/h on the stretch from about 60m east of Wheatstone Rd to 20m northwest of Coldstream Rd heading into Gisborne from Wainui.

At Okitū, the current 60km/h zone will rise to 70km/h from southwest of Wairere Rd to north of Sirrah St.

Residents successfully petitioned for lower speeds on sections of the highway back in 2019, and community groups expressed disappointment and frustration with the decision.

NZTA announced last month that it would conduct speed reviews on some roads subject to automatic reversals, including the two sections of SH35.

An NZTA statement said the decision to open the formal review of speed limits was made after “careful consideration of this feedback and past evidence of community support”.

NZTA described SH35 as a “key route for tourists, freight, logging trucks and commuters”.

“In 2019, we consulted on lower speed limits between Tamarau and Pouawa after receiving feedback about difficulties crossing the road onto the new Wainui cycleway and a petition with over 3000 signatures calling for lower speed limits within the Tamarau, Okitū and Makorori areas to address safety concerns,” the NZTA statement said.

“Since the announcement about the speed limits at Otikū and Tamarau automatically reversing, we have received feedback from the community calling for lower speed limits to be retained on these sections.”

Consultation is open until May 14. People can submit at www.nzta.govt.nz/new-speed-reviews.

A proposal to increase the speed of the section of SH35 from Makorori to Pouawa, about 390m north of Sirrah St to 400m south of Pouawa Bridge, from 80km/h to 100km/h under the same rule change automatically went to consultation earlier as it was a “rural connector”.

That consultation ran from January 30 to March 13 and a decision is pending from NZTA about whether to retain or reverse the speed limit.