SH1B Telephone Road: no end in sight for rail crossing closure

A permanent solution for the Telephone Rd rail crossing is still not in sight.

The SH1B Telephone Road rail crossing in the Waikato will be getting fixed detour signs installed because a permanent solution to the dangerous site is still not in sight.

The crossing was closed due to safety concerns in April 2022 and since then, temporary signs have been in place to direct traffic around the detour of Holland Road, Waverley Road and Seddon Road.

Switching to fixed signs would lower costs while the long-term future of the crossing was decided.

Waka Kotahi NZTA acting regional manager maintenance and operations Roger Brady said most road users were now familiar with the detour route.

“Temporary detour signs come with an ongoing monthly cost as contractors are required to drive the route every couple of days to check and replace any damaged signs.

“Installing fixed signs will allow the NZ Transport Agency to save money to optimise our spend on maintenance around the state highway network.”

The fixed signs that will be installed are the standard green wayfinding signs used on New Zealand’s state highway network.

Brady added that the replacement of the signs was “simply” a financial decision and “not related to the ongoing process of determining the long-term future of the rail crossing”.

Since the crossing closed, Waka Kotahi has been working with representatives from the local community and Waikato District Council on long-term options for the crossing. This included commissioning a detailed report into the options and seeking community feedback.

However, no funding is available for the necessary work to allow the crossing to reopen within the current funding cycle (the 2021-24 National Land Transport Programme).

Instead, this project has been put forward for consideration in the 2024-27 NLTP process.

For more information visit the NZTA website.

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