Problems with State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupō have been exposed again with the closing of the inside lane of a two-lane passing zone because of dangers posed by loose seal and a slippery road surface at the start of the busy Christmas and New Year holidays.
The closure of one downhill southbound lane near the Titiokura Saddle, about 47km from Napier, was advised by Government highways management agency Waka Kotahi NZTA on Thursday afternoon, a few hours after being told of the problems by a motorist through a highway issues Facebook page.
A speed limit of 50km/h has also been imposed – where road cones had all been knocked over at one stage on Friday morning - but the advisory gave no explanation other than that the closure was for “safety reasons”. It sparked public conjecture that it was another part of the Road to Zero plan that has seen the controversial permanent lowering of the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h over more than half of the distance of SH5 distance between its junction with SH2 north of Bay View and Taupo.
SH5 issues campaigner Tony Alexander told Hawke’s Bay Today on Thursday the issue had been raised by a motorist earlier in the day, and it was reassuring that NZTA was “now listening and responding to our member’s complaints in a timely fashion”.
“It is disappointing that their own contractors aren’t picking up issues such as this but I’m grateful that it’s being treated seriously to avoid any major issues during the Christmas period,” he said.