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Consultation closed on 10 October 2025 |
We’re proposing to reduce the current 80km/h speed limit on the stretch of State Highway 3 (SH3) from north of Vickers Road to east of the Egmont Road intersection in Waiwhakaiho to 60km/h. This will extend the existing 60km/h speed limit further north of New Plymouth.
|
Location |
Road length |
Road classification |
Current speed limit |
Proposed speed limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SH3 Waiwhakaiho – from north of Vickers Road to east of the Egmont Road intersection. |
0.9 km |
Urban connector |
80 km/h |
60 km/h |
You can share your views on the proposal to lower the speed limit on SH3 from north of Vickers Road to east of the Egmont Road intersection by completing the short online survey.
SH3 Waiwhakaiho speed limit review survey(external link)
Consultation closes 5pm, Friday 10 October 2025.
We will consider consultation feedback alongside safety, technical and cost benefit information when deciding whether or not to reduce the speed limit on SH3 north of Vickers Road to east of the Egmont Road intersection.
There have been several crashes and near misses at the SH3-Egmont Road intersection and the community has raised strong concerns about safety. We’re prioritising this speed review because we recognise the urgency and are committed to making the intersection safer as soon as possible.
The proposed lower speed limit will make it safer and easier to turn in and out of Egmont Road. Slower speeds will give drivers more time to react, better judge gaps in the traffic, and reduce the risk of crashes.
We’re also looking at longer-term infrastructure upgrades for the intersection. These will depend on national priorities and funding, so may take time. In the meantime, a lower speed limit is a practical step to improve safety now and in the future.
This proposal aligns with the Government’s Road Safety Objectives which include taking a balanced and targeted approach to speed limits by considering safety, economic impacts – including travel times – and community views.
New Zealand’s road safety objectives(external link)
SH3 is a key route connecting New Plymouth with the Waikato and beyond. It’s heavily used by freight vehicles, including trucks heading to and from Port Taranaki.
The road also supports daily commuter traffic between Bell Block and central New Plymouth, and gets especially busy during peak hours. The SH3-Egmont Road intersection serves industrial businesses, Egmont Road residents, and people travelling to Egmont Village.
As part of this speed review, we consider the implementation costs and overall safety and travel time impacts of the proposed speed limit changes in a Cost Benefit Disclosure Statement (CBDS).
If the speed limit is reduced to 60km/h it’s expected to reduce crashes which result in people being injured by 21 percent and add 5 seconds to journey times for light and heavy vehicles.
The expected cost to implement a new speed limit will be approximately $20,000. This includes associated traffic management, and planning, road signs and markings, installation costs, overheads, consultation and administration costs.
SH3 Waiwhakaiho speed limit review CBDS [PDF, 123 KB]
Before recommending a new speed limit, we’ll consider all feedback alongside safety, technical and cost benefit information. We’ll then seek approval from the Director of Land Transport before any potential change to the speed limit is made.
Pending approval of a new speed limit from the Director of Land Transport, we’ll inform the community and stakeholders of the outcome and publish details, including a consultation summary, on our website before implementing any new speed limits.
For further information on speed reviews: State highway speed management
Information you have provided in this form will be made publicly available (with the exception of any personal information that could be used to identify an individual such as names, contact details and physical addresses) and will be used by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (we/us) to gain feedback, write our consultation report, and to meet the consultation requirements for the proposal to change the speed limit on SH3 from north of Vickers Road to east of the Egmont Road intersection Waiwhakaiho as set out in the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024.
Any personal information you provide might legally need to be disclosed to third parties if subject to a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (or as otherwise required by law).
If your feedback is commercially sensitive or you do not want it disclosed, please let us know. Under the Privacy Act 2020 you have the right to know what personal information we hold about you. You can read more about how we handle your information on our website, or contact us at info@nzta.govt.nz
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