Editorial: $18m Northland road project saving lives

A view from the top of the Brynderwyn Hills during construction of the 14km section of flexible barriers. Photo/Michael Cunningham

For more than a year, motorists endured seemingly endless roadworks on the northern side of the Brynderwyn Hills.

But if it saves lives, then it's worth it.

The NZ Transport Agency have come out with some statistics which suggest that flexible road safety barriers installed as part of the project have been hit at least 20 times since they were installed.

Brett Gliddon, the Transport Agency's Northland Highway Manager, said each time the barrier was damaged, it indicated a potential crash that someone had walked away from.

Head-on and "run-off-the road" accidents account for 75 per cent of Northland's crashes, and these are the barriers' accident-prevention forte.

The 14km of flexible barriers "catch" out-of-control vehicles.

The area has also been operating with a reduced speed limit for some time, which would seem to also be a factor in keeping people safe.

There is only cosmetic work still to go on the project, some planting and finishing off of a new viewing area created on the left, as you head south.

Hopefully the area adjacent to where motorists enter and exit the area doesn't become a hotspot for crashes, as it looks slightly tricky to negotiate.

Although anyone who has ever pulled into or out of the State Highway 1 intersection with Tauroa St after the McDonalds was built will have no problem.

The SH1 Brynderwyn project cost $18 million.

You can't put a price on someone's life, and if the $18m saves lives, then great.

But the real return on the investment will be assessed in the next year or so, when we measure the road toll.

If there are no deaths on that 14km stretch, then every cent of the $18m will have been worth it.