Remutaka Hill has a raft of safety changes heading its way.
Waka Kotahi NZTA announced multiple upgrades to the hill road on Thursday, including better safety barriers, signage, and markings.
The announcement came in wake of the transport agency’s Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan, published earlier this week, which proposed a 60kmh speed limit for the hill.
NZTA said the upgrades were part of the nationwide Road to Zero initiative that aimed to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on state highways by 40 per cent in the next 10 years.
Upgrades were also signalled for the Hutt Valley.
NZTA said that, between 2011 and 2020, there were over 2,300 crashes on SH2 between Ngauranga and Featherston.
Fifteen people died, and 149 were seriously injured.
NZTA director of regional relationships Emma Speight said the new safety measures would roll out in stages across SH2.
Speight said the proposed targeted speed limit changes for the Hutt Valley-Featherston corridor would be integrated with the safety measures.
“We are investing in projects large and small to make SH2 safer and easier to use. While the major Melling interchange is planned as part of RiverLink, 12 more intersections will receive safety improvements,” she said.
She said targeted speed limit changes at high-risk intersections would make crashes less likely and less severe.
“If a driver makes a mistake, these changes mean people involved are more likely to survive without serious injury,” Speight said.
Consultation is open on the Interim Speed Management Plan.
Hill changes on the way
