In August 2020, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency received $6.8 million as part of the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to deliver safety upgrades to Motueka High Street on State Highway 60 (SH60).
In 2017, we started investigations about potential short- or medium-term improvements to safety and journey time reliability on the stretch of State Highway 60 that passes through the Motueka town centre.
We shared different proposals with the community, business owners and interested groups.
The proposals focused on the following key areas:
We received more than 250 responses from individuals, stakeholders, organisations and interest groups.
Key findings and further details about the feedback we received from the community can be found in the engagement report.
SH60 Motueka public engagement summary report – August 2017 [PDF, 3.4 MB]
In late August 2020, we received $6.8 million as part of the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to deliver safety upgrades to Motueka High Street on SH60.
The investment will help upgrade the road with intersection improvements and pedestrian crossing signals.
In November and December 2020, we completed further investigations to refine the safety upgrades. This included surveying the road and digging test pits to understand the ground conditions, and service providers marking underground services with paint on the surface of the road. This work helped inform the designs of the safety improvements for this road.
In April 2021, we shared the safety improvement designs with the community and asked for feedback on particular elements of the designs.
SH60 Motueka public engagement summary report – April 2021 [PDF, 349 KB]
After receiving feedback from the community, we have reviewed our designs and have made some changes. Click on the headings below to view maps, which also include our planting plans.
We will be constructing a roundabout to improve access onto State Highway 60 at the King Edward Street and Old Wharf Road intersection.
The roundabout will improve safety for everyone using the road. It will have pedestrian zebra crossings on each approach to the roundabout to allow people to safely cross the road.
The whole King Edward Street and Old Wharf Road intersection (roundabout and zebra crossings) will be raised, with a gradual ramp onto and exiting the roundabout.
The raised element encourages safer speeds and improves visibility of pedestrians and cyclists. It is a treatment increasingly being used to improve safety through intersections and at pedestrian crossings.
The zebra crossings will be at the same level of the footpath, making it easier for people to navigate the intersection.
The zebra crossings will be set approximately 6 metres back from roundabout. There are three key safety reasons for this position:
Raised roundabout at King Edward Street and Old Wharf Road intersection
Three sets of signals will be provided on High Street at the following locations:
High Street is a busy road with lots of people driving, walking and riding through the area. By replacing the existing zebra crossings with signalised crossings, we will help people move more safely across the road. The signalised intersections will also help traffic flow better during peak times and make it easier for people to enter High Street from side streets.
We understand there are many people using High Street as a through-road to get to other parts of the Tasman, West Coast and Nelson region. We will ensure there are still efficiencies to the road network by managing the phasing of traffic lights to ensure an appropriate balance of efficiency for both local and through-traffic. It is important we seek the right balance for the safety of all road users including those walking across the road to visit the town centre and businesses on High Street.
Tudor/High Streets intersection
High Street north of Wallace Street
Pah/Greenwood/High Streets intersection
We want everyone who uses our roads to get home safely. Most crashes are caused by a number of contributing factors, but even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed. A small reduction in speed can make a big difference, especially when cyclists or pedestrians are involved.
In 2017 we spoke with the community about speed limit changes on this road. As some time has passed, asked the community for further feedback on what they thought about current speed limits on SH60 High Street, from the Wharf Road roundabout to south of Staples Street.
We are reviewing the feedback we received alongside our technical assessment and in the coming months we will come back to the community for formal consultation on proposed speed limit changes.
Engagement summary (includes feedback on High Street speed limits) [PDF, 349 KB]
SH60 existing speed limits
CloseTo ensure the safety of cyclists on High Street and at intersections we will provide safe stopping space in front of vehicle traffic (known as advanced stop boxes). This makes cyclists more visible to motorists and gives cyclist a physical head-start at the start of the green phase and safe opportunities to change lanes during the red phase.
The advanced stop boxes will be provided at both signalised intersections and signalised pedestrian crossing locations.
CloseImproving safety at intersections and pedestrian crossings will mean removing some on-street parking. Parking spaces will be removed on High, Tudor, Greenwood and Pah Streets to accommodate the new signalised intersections. The removal of some on-street parking will affect where current mobility, bicycle, loading zone and motorcycle parking is located.
As part of this project we will also be ensuring that directional signage for side street carparking areas will be more visible to those unfamiliar with Motueka.
Parking will also be removed on Old Wharf Road to accommodate the roundabout.
CloseWhen we recently spoke to the community about the safety improvements, we heard some community members were concerned about the proposed removal of some of the trees on High Street
In light of this, we have further reviewed our designs and we are able to keep five trees that were going to be removed.
We still need to remove some trees to allow enough space to install the new traffic signals. These trees are in the road reserve space and we need this space for the turning lanes at the intersections, to help drivers turn right.
We have carefully thought about the removal of these trees. Unfortunately, without removing some of the trees, we cannot make the intersections any safer for people walking and driving, or enable people to easily access the High Street from the side streets
As part of the project, we will plant nine new trees in planter boxes, and several low-level native planting beds in various locations along High Street and at the intersections. We are also investigating planting a Titoki tree in a new tree pit near the vicinity of Bowater Toyota on High Street. The Titoki tree has been selected as it suits the urban environment.
We will plant Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa cultivars) and Titoki (Alectryon excelsus) in the planter boxes. It’s important to note, we may need to substitute the species of tree in the planter boxes for an alternative species if the Pohutukawa or Titoki species are not available. We will let the community know if happens. Alternative species that could be selected are: Broadleaf lime tree (Tilia platyphyllos); Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus); or Golden Elm (Ulmus glabra ‘Lutescens’).
In addition to the safety improvements within this project, the Tasman District Council will be progressing a wider plan to improve the urban form of Motueka township in the coming few years. It is expected this work will consider a range of urban design and liveability aspects around the town centre including planting, parking, active travel, public transport, open spaces. This is a longer-term project, which the Council will work with the community on.
CloseOn Monday 2 August, we started construction on the traffic signals for the Pah/Greenwood/High Street and for the existing zebra crossing on High Street near Wallace Street.
The majority of the work will be happening during the day, with some night works planned from late-September at the Wallace Street site.
In accordance with Government guidance, we paused the safety improvements at COVID-19 Alert Level 4 on Tuesday 17 August 2021. Work is beginning again on Thursday 2 September 2021 under Alert Level 3, while adhering to strict health and safety protocols.
COVID-19 has had an impact on the project’s timeframes, with improvements to the Tudor and High Street intersection now likely to get underway from mid-February 2022, with completion expected by April 2022.
Installation of traffic signals at the intersection of Pah/Greenwood and High Street, the pedestrian signals on High Street north of Wallace Street at the existing zebra crossing and the right-hand turn bay into Wallace Street are expected to be completed by the end of November 2021.
Construction on the new roundabout will start on Monday 13 September.
There will be several stages of construction. The first stage starting on 13 September will include the closure of Old Wharf Road and there will be a short detour in place.
There are several stages of construction:
We will be building the eastern half of the roundabout, which means that the entry in and out of Old Wharf Road will be closed with a short detour in place up Huffam Street.
Detour in place during Stage One:
Stage two is working on the south western corner in front of the DOC building.
Stage three is working on the north west corner in front of the clock tower.
Once the outsides edges of the roundabout have been constructed, we will lay a new asphalt surface in sections. Most of this work will be completed at night to minimise disruption to people driving through.
The footpath construction and landscaping around the intersection will start in December 2021 with final work completed in early 2022.
If the above information has not answered all your questions, please visit our frequently asked questions page or email us at the email address below.
View larger map
