The study has identified the state highway issues by reviewing previous strategies, consultation, detailed inspection of the corridor and further investigation.
A summary of the key strategic issues identified is listed on the following page, shown by district with an indication of applicability. Other more locally strategic issues are not noted here, and nor does the implementation plan seek to address these aspects specifically. Where issues have not been specifically flagged, e.g. general urban design, culture⁄heritage, the current management processes are deemed appropriate and a network operations 'business as usual' approach is advocated in the Draft Strategy. Lastly this section includes a summary of the key wider network and interregional issues identified.
In addition to these issues, the Draft Strategy also notes several wider and interregional issues.
SH1 is exposed to established, ongoing and emerging natural hazards as the environment changes over time (flooding, coastal erosion, sea level rising, landslide etc). The vulnerability of the route to these hazards is greater in some areas than others. Also for most of the distance between Blenheim and Ashley River, the Main Rail Trunk Line is in close proximity to SH1 and is exposed to some of the same hazards. The critical issues have been recorded and where these hazards pose a high level of risk to the security of the roading corridor a monitoring process has been implemented. The vulnerability of the highway to natural hazards is a fact of life, they cannot be eliminated, but can be carefully managed to ensure that disruptions are kept to a minimum.
Road side. (JPG, 61KB)
Current coastal management systems are generally considered adequate for the risk involved, though some improvement in monitoring could be implemented, particularly following storm events.
As on other parts of the state highway network this route is experiencing increasing traffic volumes. Across New Zealand as a whole the freight load is expected to double by 2020. The increasing use of the route by freight vehicles may result in poorer trip reliability (especially given a lack of alternative route options) and the limited relief that will be available by rail or sea. At this time major improvement work is not programmed but regular reviews will be undertaken of passing opportunities and the need for passing lanes.
One way bridge. (JPG, 120KB)
Affordability and likely funding availability need to be considered when developing this type of strategy. Previous activities have addressed many of the known deficiencies on SH1. In the future most of the activities will be focussed on managing deficiencies by optimising the existing highway. Along some parts of SH1 the future design philosophy will be to use design speed standards of less than 100kmph where required to ensure strategic management activities are practicably affordable. Also looking at the entire corridor or a package treatments, instead of individual locations in isolation, may improve economic justification for activities in the future.
