BECKIE WILSON
Eketahuna Community Board’s desire for a 70kmh speed limit put in place to slow traffic coming from the south in a bid to make the road into town safer for both motorists and pedestrians may yet be met.
An initial application for a change to the speed limit change was declined as it didn’t meet New Zealand Transport Agency requirements but the agency is now keen to review it.
Community board chairman Charlie Death said the desire was to see the speed limit staggered before reaching the town.
“We would like to slow the traffic down before it gets to town . . . because it’s a safety issue as you have a pedestrian crossing just after you arrive,” Mr Death said.
There is a 50kmh sign posted just before traffic heading north entered the town.
The board’s view was that the distance for the transition from 100kmh to 50kmh did not give drivers enough time to slow down before entering the town.
NZTA had told the board that the southern entrance to the town did not qualify for the additional speed limit as there were no residential housing surrounding it, Mr Death said.
“We would like to have a 70kmh sign just farther out say towards the rest area.
“When you come into Eketahuna from the north, there is a 70kmh sign — as you go under the overbridge, soon after you get to it — but of course you have houses on either side of the road.”
“It’s one of the requirements — where we want the sign at the southern end, it’s just surrounding bare land.”
NZTA Regional Transport Systems manager Ross I’Anson said the request from the board will be considered as part of the speed management review following the recent release of the new speed management guidelines.
“This will give us an opportunity to review any areas of concern,” he said.
Mr Death said the announcement of the review is “definitely a positive for the community”.
