State Highway 3 at De Havilland Drive intersection, which is set to have a new roundabout. Photo: Google Maps
Major road works underway on State Highway 3 between Waitara and Bell Block in Taranaki will save lives, says Minister of Transport Kiri Allan.
The minister was in New Plymouth on Tuesday for the sod-turning ceremony at the highway, where there have been 42 crashes on that stretch between 2017 and 2021, resulting in seven deaths and 22 serious injuries.
"This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki, but too many people have lost their lives or been seriously injured travelling on this stretch of road," Allan said.
The $82 million project will include new roundabouts at the intersections of Waitara Road, De Havilland Drive and at the State Highway 3A junction among other safety features, including the installation of a flexible median barrier.
Allan said the improvements to Te Ara Tūtohu: State Highway 3 Waitara to Bell Block would help prevent serious injuries and save lives
"This project will make what is a busy route safer and more accessible for local residents, freight, commuters and visitors to Taranaki by helping to prevent death and serious injury crashes."
The project would also support residential growth north of New Plymouth and connections to rest of the region by providing safer access on and off the highway, Allan said.
"Our regions are the backbone of Aotearoa and this investment will make this intersection much safer for the Waitara community and everyone using the road."
The Princess Street roundabout will be the built first because it has the highest crash rate along the route.
An underpass will be built as part of this intersection upgrade to provide safer access across the highway for pedestrians and cyclists.
It will feature a cultural expression on its walls developed by Manukorihi, Ngāti Rahiri, Otaraua, Pukerangiora and Puketapu hapū with Tihei Design and Workshop Studio - the first part of a wider cultural narrative being developed for the road between Waitara and Bell Block.
Allan said the investment on the stretch of highway was part of delivering on the government's road safety strategy, which aimed to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the country's roads by 40 percent by 2030.