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It’s not 4 lanes, however Waka Kotahi is planning to widen State Freeway 1 between Ashburton and Rolleston.
The transfer has been given the tick of approval by Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown, who sees it as a greater choice than putting in median limitations.
Brown has taken to enjoying a music initially of every council assembly as councillors settle into their seats.
Final week he went with ACDC’s Freeway to Hell, a not-so-subtle nod to Waka Kotahi’s relationship supervisor James Caygill being in attendance to debate the SH1 enchancment plan.
That plan now centres on widening the present street hall as step one.
“Crossing a centre line might be the most important threat individuals face,” Caygill stated.
“When you’re travelling at speeds of 100kph and you might be divided by a painted line, issues go mistaken.”
The answer is a progressive widening of SH1 to have the ability to set up extensive centre strains to maintain autos additional aside, after which if required, the versatile limitations.
The stretch of SH1 from Ashburton to Templeton is a key strategic route with excessive site visitors volumes and a poor security report, Caygill says.
The site visitors volumes are persevering with to develop which is why Waka Kotahi is improved security measures.
The main focus up to now has been on the northern half, from the Rakaia Bridge to Templeton, as a result of its crash statistics are a lot worse, Caygill stated.
Police figures present that between the Rakaia Bridge and Rolleston there have been 21 fatalities and 67 critical accidents between 2013 and 2022.
Brown has been a vocal opponent of median limitations and stated the widening “made extra sense”.
“Widening first and seeing how that goes is an effective resolution after which solely median limitations if required, and solely locations they’d be required.”
The street is presently between 7.5m-9.5m extensive with plans to widen it to 11.5m, Caygill stated.
“That permits us to then are available and transfer the site visitors lanes and produce a large centre line.”
The following step could be to position median limitations the place they’re acceptable and received’t impression entry.
“Theoretically, we may put [median] barrier in on a slim hall but when we try this, then you might be by no means going to get previous agricultural autos, emergency companies autos are going to get caught, all of that.”
Within the meantime, different security enhancements are being put in place with the discount of pace by way of Rakaia to 50kph, throughout the Rakaia Bridge right down to 80kph, and a variable pace restrict over the rail bridge between the brand new weigh stations all set to come back into impact later this 12 months.
By Jonathan Leask
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