NZTA removing passing lane on Hawke's Bay's State Highway 2: Here's why

This crash scene on SH2 near the Tapairu Rd intersection left one person injured and caused major traffic back-ups. Photo / File

A seal widening programme on SH2 south to make the stretch between Paki Paki and Waipukurau safer is under way, with safety improvements to the Waipawa to Waipukurau section to be completed by June.

The $20 million programme is part of the Government's $600m national Safe Roads and Roadsides Programme to prevent fatalities and serious injuries on rural state highways.

Between 2006 and 2015, 13 people were killed and 62 were seriously injured on SH2 between Pakipaki and Waipukurau.

The work to improve the safety of the stretch will include the removal of the southbound passing lane, just south of Waipawa.

The decision to remove the passing lane was announced by the NZ Transport Agency in July last year after an investigation found it was increasing the crash risk for people using the southern Tapairu Rd/SH2 intersection.

Regional transport systems manager Oliver Postings said it was a relatively simple change that would reduce the risk of crashes on the road.

"The decision to remove the passing lane wasn't made lightly and we know that some road users may feel inconvenienced, but our priority has to be the safety of everyone using the road," Postings says.

"The passing lane finishes just after an intersection, making it dangerous for people to get on and off the highway at Tapairu Rd — it's also very short as it is, so making it end before the intersection is not an option," he said.

"The safest action we can take is to remove it."

Other work on the stretch includes installing road safety barriers along the side and centre of the road, widening road shoulders and putting in rumble strips along the centre lines and edge lines.

At the southern Tapairu Rd/SH2 intersection a new right turn bay will be created to make it easier and safer to turn into or out of Tapairu Rd.

In the work areas speed restrictions will be in place and there are likely to be slight delays in travel times.

On SH2 north of Napier seal widening is also taking place around Te Uhi Hill with restrictions in place.

Motorists can also expect some slight delays due to dropout clean-up work just south of Wairoa and the passing lane project between Hawke's Bay Airport and Bay View.