A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
by Ryan O'Sullivan
The speed limit in parts of the Wairoa township is set to be lowered following Wairoa District Council’s (WDC) adoption of an interim speed management plan last month.
With 23 people making submissions, the council table has three speed limit change proposals that will be sent to New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi for approval.
The proposed changes are —
■ Marine Parade from Murrae Street to the campground at 30kmh.
■ Streets outside all schools at 30kmh excluding Mōhaka and Putere School. The speed limit changes would be a mixture of variable and static.
■ Speed reductions to be supported with complementary infrastructure such as speed humps, raised crossings, signage, road markings or kerb build-outs.
Of the submissions considered at the council’s extraordinary meeting last month, only two submitters disagreed with the general direction of the interim speed management plan. No one disagreed with lowering speeds outside schools or along Marine Parade.
Additional comments in the submissions included —
■ the need for speed restrictions along Kaiwaitau Road and Lahore Street.
■ crossings at schools in the Wairoa township.
■ speed bumps as a way to slow down traffic.
■ a lack of promotion about the consultation.
Three submitters spoke about Marine Parade and Achilles Street.
Bernadine Hamlin shared Wairoa College’s concerns about vehicles not doing 50kmh when they enter the town.
“The town entry is close to the school gates where a lot of our students cross the road. There are vehicles doing well over 50kmh when they pass the Wairoa signs ,and it is not until the electronic signs that they begin to slow down.”
Councillor Roz Thomas asked what the costs were for an electronic sign compared to other signs.
Group manager for assets and infrastructure Mike Hardie said electronic signs were $15,000.
“In comparison, other signage is a grand.”
Gabriela Kopacikova and Matteo Garbagnati suggested Marine Parade could become a dedicated area for pedestrians and bicycles.
“Having lower speed along the main road of the township will save lives and increase the visibility of the town centre for locals and visitors when driving through from the bridge,” Ms Kopacikova said. “It will support local businesses through more interaction and foot traffic.”
Mr Garbagnati is interested in an urban design for Marine Parade.
“It could look like Federal Street in Auckland or with sitting areas between two lanes of road.”
Mr Hardie liked the idea and said the council had earlier applied for funding through NZTA’s Streets for People programme. “We were declined but we should give it another go.”
St Joseph’s Wairoa principal Jo Doyle emailed a submission, saying she supported the speed reductions and wanted Queen Street to be a consideration.
“How many people cross the road on Queen Street and where? Collect data for the biggest areas of concern. When we take the kids to the pool, it is too dangerous to cross the road.”
A draft design from engineering consultants WSP suggested a road crossing be put in by Kahungunu Executive.
Councillors were unsure whether to have a pedestrian crossing there or further east again.
People jaywalking and not using the existing crossing was another factor they considered.
NZTA was planning to talk to the council’s infrastructure committee, Mr Hardie said.
Mayor Craig Little said it was a great idea for the big picture.
The council plans to cover the whole district with its interim speed plan and Mr Hardie said a certain amount of work had to be done by July.
“We chose schools for the safety of children and Marine Parade because it is a high pedestrian area.”