Local MPs in Hawke's Bay are celebrating Waka Kotahi's plan to invest in the Napier-Taupō highway, but the Hastings' Mayor says more guarantees are needed.
State Highway 5, Napier-Taupō Road. Photo: Google Maps
Between 2019 and 2020 there were nine fatalities on the stretch of highway, causing anger and worry in the community.
Since the launch of a 'Stay Alive on 5' billboard campaign late last year, there have been no deaths on the road.
In a statement, Waka Kotahi director of regional relationships Linda Stewart said following a review of the highway corridor, Waka Kotahi had brought forward the business case for a potential $100 million investment in safety infrastructure between Napier and Taupō.
It had been approved for inclusion in the National Land Transport Programme, but was still subject to confirmation of funding from the Waka Kotahi board.
The project could include median barriers, side barriers, wide centrelines and intersection improvements, which would complement the current speed proposal and other smaller-scale improvements.
"We are still in the early stages of this project and the next steps will be to complete the feasibility and design work, and engage with our stakeholders and communities. We would then apply for consents and begin staged construction," she said.
In the short term, Stewart said Waka Kotahi had committed $2.5m for safety improvements on the highway over the next four months, including side barriers, road markings and rumble lines.
Napier MP Stuart Nash and Tukituki MP Anna Lorck both said they were delighted and relieved.
"We are extremely pleased Waka Kotahi has agreed that additional investment in both safety improvements and a sustainable road maintenance plan is required for SH5," Lorck said.
"On behalf of Hawke's Bay, we spoke with the Minister of Transport Michael Wood along with making a joint submission to Waka Kotahi seeking a binding commitment of an over-arching strategy for SH5, " Nash said.
Lorck said it was important that Waka Kotahi kept working in partnership with local communities and stakeholders to develop its strategy for SH5, to give Hawke's Bay the confidence that road fatalities would drop.
"In our submission we agreed with the feedback received from our respective communities that there are areas of SH5 which would benefit from speed reduction, including areas around Te Pohue, Te Haroto and Tarawera.
"For example, the community of Te Pohue should be given the opportunity to be part of developing the solutions for fixing this dangerous area of road," Lorck said.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was looking for more guarantees however.
She said while a business case was some progress, "it does not provide any guarantees for our community".
"We look forward to the continued efforts of our MPs to advocate for this $100m investment for State Highway 5.
"Waka Kotahi needs to show us the overall strategic plan for SH5 to address safety, efficiency and resilience of this important national transport link for our people and produce. This plan should include more passing lanes, safety barriers and road realignment to save more lives on this road."
Hazlehurst said the plan needed to include more than just maintenance.
"I have led the region's push for more safety measures on SH5 - including numerous face to face conversations with [Waka Kotahi] NZTA, held vocal community meetings in Te Pōhue, liaised with road safety advocates, spoken to concerned truck drivers and weekly commuters, met with the community onsite as well as made sure the local community knew how to submit on Waka Kotahi's recent speed reduction proposal for SH5."
Waka Kotahi has suggested lowering the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h on the highway, but many in the community are opposed.
In response to Hazlehurst's comments, Lorck told RNZ she thought it was important the politicians "worked together".
"I'm sure that the mayor of Hastings wants to see this as much as we do.
"This is real movement that we haven't seen at this level before. I have real confidence that we're seeing the level of momentum that we've all as a region been long awaiting for."