We’re improving the safety of State Highway 1 between Levin and Foxton by installing a new roundabout at the intersection with Waitārere Beach Road, stretches of painted wide centreline, roadside and median barriers, and new turnaround facilities.
We’re improving the safety of State Highway 1 (SH1) from Levin to Foxton while we work to deliver the new highway from Ōtaki to north of Levin.
Once the new highway is complete, these safety improvements will keep people safe while they transition to a different driving environment.
To help prevent deaths and serious injuries on this road, we’re installing a roundabout at the intersection with Waitārere Beach Road, stretches of painted wide centreline, roadside and median barrier, and new turnaround facilities.
We know these types of safety improvements are new for the area and have engaged our iwi and hapū partners, local government partners, key stakeholders, and the local community to get feedback and insights and to address any concerns about the infrastructure improvements. A summary of the feedback we received can be downloaded through the link below.
Engagement summary [PDF, 255 KB](external link)
CloseFlexible median barriers are a key part of this project.
These barriers put a barrier between you and an oncoming car, truck or motorcycle. This means that if someone loses control or drifts across the centreline, the result isn’t a deadly head-on crash. We know median barriers down the centreline are very effective, because of the number of times they get hit.
We also know that this stretch of SH1 is used by a wide variety of people including local farmers and residents, families transporting children to and from school, emergency and freight vehicles, as well as the thousands of other travellers that use this stretch of SH1 each year.
We have designed the improvements, including the flexible median barrier, with the needs of these different groups of people in mind and with the goal of making sure that everyone who uses the road gets to their destination safely.
More information on the flexible median barriers, including the different factors we considered in deciding where to put them, is available on our Safety infrastructure page.
Safety infrastructure – SH1 Levin to Foxton
CloseWe’re improving the safety of State Highway 1 (SH1) from Levin to Foxton while we work to deliver the new highway from Ōtaki to north of Levin. Once the new highway is complete, these safety improvements will keep people safe while they transition to a different driving environment. To help prevent deaths and serious injuries on this road, we’re installing a roundabout at the intersection with Waitārere Beach Road, stretches of painted wide centreline, roadside and median barrier, and new turnaround facilities.
The safety improvements will be constructed in four stages. These are:
Flexible median barrier will be installed along this stretch with a turnaround facility constructed at the southern entrance to Foxton.
Construction on Stage 1 of improvements began on 9 January and is due to be completed by mid-2024.
CloseFlexible median will be installed along this stretch with a gap at the entrance to Mitchpine Mill and turnaround facilities at Oturoa and Koputaroa roads. Sections of the road will be widened to make room for the median barrier. A small section of side barrier will also be installed on the southbound lane just south of the Oturoa Road intersection to prevent vehicles driving into a ditch.
Construction on Stage 2 of improvements will begin on 26 February.
CloseA roundabout will be constructed at the Waitārere Beach Road intersection with small stretches of flexible median barrier installed at the northern and southern roundabout entries. A small section of side barrier will be installed on the southbound lane north of the roundabout to prevent vehicles driving into a concrete brick wall. A right turn bay will also be installed outside Poroutawhao School.
CloseThe road will be widened to allow a wide centreline to be installed. Side barrier will be installed along most of the southbound lane, with two smaller stretches also installed on the northbound lane to prevent vehicles driving into roadside ditches.
CloseTraffic management will be in place during construction of the safety improvements to ensure the safety of crews and road users.
From 26 February, construction of the turnaround facility on Oturoa Road, a key feature of Stage 2, will begin.
While this work is underway, a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place on SH1 just before and after the intersection with Oturoa Road, and on a section of Oturoa Road itself.
Both SH1 and Oturoa Road will remain open to two lanes of traffic. This traffic management is expected to be in place until mid-2024.
Construction on the Koputaroa Road turnaround facility and the installation of median barrier between the Manawatū River Bridge and Koputaroa Road will happen later this year. We will provide an update prior to this work taking place.
CloseTraffic management currently in place at the southern entry to Foxton (temporary lanes with a 30km/h temporary speed limit) will remain in place until the end of May 2024 when construction of the turnaround facility at this location is expected to be complete. This could be delayed by weather and ground conditions.
Later this year, line markings will be adjusted and flexible median barrier will be installed between Foxton and the Manawatū River Bridge. We will provide a traffic management update prior to this work taking place.
CloseAlternatively you can write to us:
Ōtaki to north of Levin Project Team
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Level 5)
Private Bag 6995
Wellington 6141
