State Highway 58 runs between SH2 in the Hutt Valley and the Transmission Gully Interchange in Pauatahanui. Construction of safety improvements on the highway is underway with work occurring in two stages.
State Highway 58 is a regional route providing critical east-west access from State Highway 2 to State Highway 1 and is key to the region’s state highway network. Over 19,000 vehicles travel this highway daily. It is narrow and windy with many unprotected roadside hazards.
Construction on the first stage of safety improvements – the 3km section running between Western Hutt Road up to Mount Cecil Road – began in late 2019 and is due for completion mid-2021.
The second stage of this project is the 5.5km road between Mt Cecil Road through to the Transmission Gully Interchange at Pāuatahanui. Construction for this stage is funded as part of the NZ Upgrade Programme (NZUP) and works are currently underway between Mount Cecil and Harris Roads.
Please drive with care through our roadwork site and follow the traffic signals which are there to keep you and the work crew safe.
Thank you for your patience while these important works are being carried out.
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The key benefits of the project include:
The work involves realigning curves, widening road shoulders for cyclists and vehicles wanting to pull over, installing median safety barriers, constructing two new roundabouts, a new bridge and bridge widening improvements. This map shows the improvements across the highway.
SH58 safety improvements map [JPG, 414 KB]
Over 19,000 vehicles travel State Highway 58 (SH58) daily, but its current geometry and roadside hazards are contributing factors to many of the high severity crashes in recent years. Its 5-year crash history includes 10 serious or fatal crashes. These incidents also cause travel time reliability problems from crash related delays and closures of the road.
In recent years there have been rounds of consultation with the community and other stakeholders and this has led to expanding the scope of road safety work on SH58 to achieve greater safety outcomes than originally proposed.
In 2018 the speed limit was lowered from 100km/h to 80km/h. We’re already seeing positive results with a reduction in the speed being travelled by the fastest motorists, while the average speeds across the route have been maintained at just under 80km/h. We also addressed some of the high-risk curves west of Mt Cecil Rd, by straightening them and installing a median barrier.
Initially there was only funding available from the National Land Transport Fund for the Stage 1 safety improvements and the design and consenting for Stage 2. Following feedback from the community, we also funded some interim safety measures in the Stage 2 area. These measures included new line marking, improved lighting, electronic speed indicator devices and larger signage.
In January 2020, funding for the SH58 Stage 2 safety improvements was announced as part of the Government’s multi-billion NZ Upgrade Programme (NZUP). This estimated $59 million investment recognises the importance of road safety and the key role of SH58 in the continued growth of the Greater Wellington regions.
| Phases | Indicative date |
|---|---|
| Detailed design, lodge consent applications for Stage 1 and 2 safety improvements | 2017–2021 |
| Interim safety improvements (Mount Cecil Road to Transmission Gully interchange, Pāuatahanui) | August 2019 |
| Stage 1, Hayward’s Interchange through to Mount Cecil Road, safety improvements construction | October 2019–mid 2021 |
| Stage 2 construction – Mount Cecil Road to Harris Road | 2021–2022 |
| Stage 2 construction – Harris Road to Transmission Gully interchange, Pāuatahanui | 2023–2026 |
| Project | Cost | Funding source |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | $54 million | National Land Transport Fund 2018–2021 |
| Stage 2 | $59 million | NZ Upgrade Programme |
The key benefits of the project include:
![SH58 safety improvements map [JPG, 414 KB]](/assets/projects/sh58-improvements/img/sh58-improvements-area-map.jpg){kind=link}