Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is seeking public input into proposals to set permanent new speed limits on State Highway 30.
We spoke to Whakatāne District Council, locals, community groups and businesses about the current speed limits on SH30. We heard the current speeds on SH30 were unsafe and people would like to see more consistent speeds, and some lowered.
Between 2010 and 2019 10 people have been killed and 73 seriously injured. Most of these crashes have been head-on, run off road and speed related.
Some of the common themes about where and how speed needs to be reduced include high speed stretches of road, dangerous intersections and bends where drivers take chances to turn on or off the road.
Child safety around schools is a major concern, particularly during school drop off and pick up times outside the schools and at bus stops located around the lakes. People would like to see variable speed zones introduced at the schools.
People asked for more consistent and safer speeds to slow down traffic, to discourage drivers from accelerating and decelerating at tight corners and along the straights.
Lowering the speed limit in areas where there are houses, business and shops immediately alongside SH30 was asked for to make it safer for people to turn on/off the state highway and to create more space for turning vehicles.
We heard about unsafe speeds at intersections, especially during peak traffic periods. People take chances to turn onto SH30, and then wait in the middle of the road for a gap in the traffic.
Our priority is to make this state highway network safer as soon as possible so that everyone can get to where they are going safely.
Based on the Technical Assessment and feedback gained in the engagement phase, Waka Kotahi is proposing the following safer speed limits:
| Segment description | Current Speed limit | Proposed speed limit |
| SH30: From approximately 353m east of SH30/SH33 Tikitere Junction to approximately 650m east of Curtis Road | 100 | 80 |
| SH30: From approximately 650m east of Curtis Road to approximately 380m west of Lake Okataina Road. | 100 | 60 |
| SH30: From approximately 380m west of Lake Okataina Road to approximately 140m east of Lake Okataina Road. | 80 | 60 |
| SH30: From approximately 140m east of Lake Okataina Road to approximately 366m west of Te Urumahue Road. | 80 | no change |
| SH30: From approximately 366m west of Te Urumahue Road to approximately 420m east of Tamatea Street. | 80 | 60 |
| SH30: From approximately 420m east of Tamatea Street to approximately 905m west of Morehu Road West | 100 | 60 |
| SH30: From approximately 905m west of Morehu Road West to 120m west of Oxford Road. | 100 | 80 |
| SH30: From 120m west of Oxford Road to 530m west of Matahi Road | 70 | 60 |
| SH30: From 530m west of Matahi Road to 2460m west of SH30/SH34 Kawerau Junction West | 100 | 60 |
| SH30: From 2460m west of SH30/SH34 Kawerau Junction West to 175m west of Huia Crescent | 100 | 80 |
| SH30: From 175m west of Huia Crescent to 325m east of Te Teko Road | 50 | no change |
| SH30: From 325m east of Te Teko Road to 100m north-east of Galatea Road | 70 | 60 |
| SH30: From 100m north-east of Galatea Road to 185m south-west of SH2/SH30 Awakeri Junction West | 100 | 80 |
| SH30: From 185m south-west of SH2/SH30 Awakeri Junction West to 410m north-east of the SH2/30 Awakeri Junction East | 70 | 60 |
| SH2: From 100m west of the SH2/30 Awakeri Junction West to 80m east of the SH2/SH30 Awakeri Junction East | 70 | 60 |
| SH30: From 410m north-east of the SH2/30 Awakeri Junction East to 310m west of the centre of the SH30/Gateway Drive/Phoenix Drive roundabout | 100 | 80 |
| SH30: From 310m west of the centre of the SH30/Gateway Drive/Phoenix Drive roundabout to 100m north of the northern abutment of the Whakatāne Bridge | 80 | 60 |
View downloadable map [PDF, 242 KB]
Formal consultation on new speed limit proposals closed 18 February 2022.
Speed review process(external link)
The next steps are we'll review community feedback alongside other findings and will announce a decision on speed limits soon.
