David Bennett
Work is getting underway to make State Highway 23 — the road to Raglan — safer for everyone who uses it.
Rumble strips and two flexible roadside barriers will be installed on the 21km section of the highway between Waitetuna and Raglan, ahead of major work getting underway on other parts of the route early next year.
There were 162 crashes on this section of the road between 2005 and 2015. Two people died and 23 were seriously injured.
Work will begin in earnest on the road towards the end of the year, when $10.8 million worth of safety improvements will be added between Hamilton and Highbrook Way.
SH23 is an important road for residents, commuters, tourists along with cyclists and motorcyclists, and the number of motorists on the highway is increasing.
Enhancing safety
The community and others were asked for their view on the road and the improvements being made won’t change the layout, but they will make it a lot safer for all road users.
When the work is completed, parts of the road will have wider shoulders and innovative safety rails making the road safer for cyclists and motorcyclists.
We know a lot of motorcyclists ride on this road, and the rails being added to some sections will make it a much safer journey for them.
Options for the final section of the road — between Highbrook Way and Waitetuna — are still being considered.
David Bennett is Associate Transport Minister of New Zealand.
