The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Transport Minister Phil Twyford earmarks $29 million for safety improvements on SH3

Jason Walls
By Jason Walls
Political Editor – Newstalk ZB·NZ Herald·
19 Nov, 2018 11:24 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Housing Minister Phil Twyford said the safety upgrade was a timely announcement, given the road toll this weekend had increased to 10 deaths. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Housing Minister Phil Twyford said the safety upgrade was a timely announcement, given the road toll this weekend had increased to 10 deaths. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Government has committed almost $30 million towards safety improvements on a busy central North Island road.

Transport Minister Phil Twyford this morning announced work will begin in February to make "urgent safety improvements" to State Highway 3 – from Waitara to Bell Block, heading north of New Plymouth.

This is the main commercial route for trucks coming in and out of New Plymouth heading further north, he said.

Twyford said the safety upgrade was a timely announcement, given the road toll this weekend had increased to 10 deaths on the road.

He said the SH3 upgrade would help reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on that stretch of road.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The project, which will cost $29m over the next three years, include safety upgrades between Raleigh St and Waiongana Stream.

Twyford said this was a "state-of-the-art" safety upgrade.

"New Plymouth has had a pretty steady population increase, and along this corridor there had been quite a lot of land use change – people building homes and businesses out along the highway."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

This means traffic volumes are relatively high for the area, meaning it has been "particularly dangerous".

Twyford said a new right-turn pocket on SH3 into Wills Rd will be built, with an extension of the right-turn pocket into Corbett Rd following.

There will also be SH3 widening between Wills/Corbett and Mahoetahi Rd for wide shoulders with wire rope safety barriers.

"State Highway 3 is one of the busiest stretches of road in the region, carrying a mix of freight and commuter traffic, and provides access to New Plymouth Airport and the Port," Twyford said.

The improvements would also include several new roundabouts at key intersections.

Twyford added that NZ Transport Agency is prioritising urgent safety improvements to make them more forgiving of human error.

"Drivers will always make mistakes and the Government's job is to stop those mistakes turning into tragedies."

He said the community had been asking for safety improvements to be made on the road for "some time".

In fact, New Plymouth's Mayor, Neil Holdom, had been a "very strong advocate" for the improvements.

The Government is investing $4.3 billion in safety improvements nationwide over the next three years under the National Land Transport Programme to help save lives.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim

The Country

City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land

The Country

The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim
The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim

Jock Davies was remembered for his infectious humour, caring nature and great strength.

14 Jul 04:21 AM
City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land
The Country

City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land

14 Jul 03:16 AM
The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath
The Country

The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath

14 Jul 02:16 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP