UPDATE 21/12/2023: People are reporting that NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) is claiming that this project had already been paused or halted. In the New Year, we will investigate why the letter dated the 15 December 2023 exists and if this letter was actually delivered to nearby residents.
Remember those good-old-days… when they put speed humps on quiet suburban streets and installing speed humps on a major highway with heavy traffic would be considered crazy.
NZTA is planning to install Raised Safety Platforms (those wide speed humps) on State Highway 1C in early January 2024.
If this will impact you, we suggest that you email NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, your local MPs, leaders of the three coalition parties, and/or the Minister of Transport and firmly express your objections.
A letter dated the 15th of December 2023 from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, stated the following…
“NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is improving safety on State Highway 1C in Hamilton by building Raised Safety Platforms (RSPs) at the roundabout at Lincoln Street, Norton Road, Rifle Range Road and Mangaharakeke Drive.
The RSPs will be built on the four roads approaching the roundabout, slowing vehicles down, making it safer for all road users as well as cyclists and pedestrians.
Our contractor, WM Construction Limited, is expected to be onsite building the RSPs from early January, taking advantage of lower traffic volumes during the holiday period to minimise disruption. During construction you can expect to see a reduced speed limit, daytime lane closures and detours during night closures, so the RSPs can safely be constructed.
The RSP on Rifle Range Road will be slightly different, it will be constructed as a raised courtesy crossing located where the existing cycle path crosses. Because of this, there will be further work needed in this location and WM Construction will be in touch with residents to ensure safe access to affected properties. Please find attached a drawing to show what the roundabout will look like when the RSPs are in place and what Rifle Range will look like after construction is completed.”
It appears that there has been no meaningful consultation on installing these “Raised Safety Platforms” on these major roads. This also looks like a project that is being rushed through over the holiday months to minimise public objections.
Based on NZTA estimates when they originally constructed this roundabout, these roads carry over 30,000 vehicles per day.
This project is going to mean an extra speed hump (or two… or three) for tens of thousands of automobile travellers each day.
According the the NZTA webpage regarding the original construction of the roundabout, it already has these features installed:
“Underpasses at the roundabouts to allow safe passage of pedestrians and cyclists away from road traffic”
Installation of these “Raised Safety Platforms” is due to start in early January 2024, so it is best to email in your objections before the end of 2023.
We recommend you copy a number of MPs, Ministers, and officials into any emails you send to Waikato.Projects@nzta.govt.nz and issues@transport.govt.nz
These could include:
Here is a letter template about these Raised Safety Platforms.
Feel free to use it, borrow lines from it, or modify this template for your emails.
2023 SH1 raised platform template – Copy
(If using the template add your details to replace the text in the Square Brackets)
You can also phone NZTA head office in Wellington
Telephone: +64 4 894 5400
and/or the NZTA Hamilton Office
Telephone: +64 7 958 7220
NZTA once boasted that New Zealand’s first Raised Safety Platform was installed in Hamilton. Don’t let NZTA keep thinking that Hamiltonians want more of them.
[Editing note for change on 21/12/2023. The line”…and delivered to nearby residents” has been removed from this post. The letter copy we received was addressed to “Dear Rifle Range Road/Harold Lane resident”. We will confirm in the New Year how and how widely the letter was distributed, in light of recent claims that the project had already been halted]
