"This will create a better balance in helping freight and commuter vehicles travel safely and efficiently through Kaiwaka without compromising the safety and amenity of local residents and will help enhance and support the goals of the Kaiwaka Township Improvement Plan."
NZTA initially allowed a 10-day consultation period on its proposal which would have ended today but extended the timeframe to Friday.
Kaiwaka resident Janine Boult said the agency should have allowed at least 28 days for feedback.
"This [proposed 60km/h speed limit] came out of the blue because at no stage during the consultation did they suggest that speed limit. They could have at least had a meeting with the residents," she said.
Ms Boult said Kaiwaka residents had always called for speed to be lowered to 50km/h because a lot of traffic sped through town, especially at night.
"Each day the residents of Kaiwaka take their lives into their own hands using State Highway 1 as there is no alternative to take our children to school or daycare, or to even get to the post office.
"Most of us are unable to walk from home to either of these places due to the dangers of not having a buffer zone between us and the traffic," Ms Boult said.
Kaiwaka Can, a liaison group set up between the Kaipara District Council and the community, is concerned about the proposal to increase the 50km/hzone to 60km/hwhich it says affects the main part of town.
Chairman Derek Christensen said residents were struggling to understand how a higher speed cap would bring the speed down.
"Much of the traffic is heavy traffic, logging trucks, milk and cement tankers and double unit delivery vehicles," he said.
NZTA Northland highway manager Brett Gliddon said stakeholders, including the Kaipara District Council, had provided feedback on behalf of the community.
"However in response to feedback this week directly from residents, we will be extending the feedback timeframe by another five days to allow all those who wish to provide their thoughts the time to do so," he said.