20 September
Masterton District Council is starting a conversation with residents about traffic speeds in and around Masterton, as the first stage of a review of speed limits.
A paper to the Council’s meeting on Wednesday 25 September marks the start of a six-month process to review speeds on a range of roads.
The review, pending Council decision, will focus on priority areas, primarily around schools, high-pedestrian zones, and roads in places where there has been growth and a change in land use.
The Council has developed proposed speed reductions, including reducing the speed limit to 30km/h on and around Queen Street, and in the Kuripuni and Landsdowne business areas.
Variable speed limits are suggested for roads near schools, with the current 50km/h limit proposed to be reduced to 40km/h during peak periods when pupils are arriving or leaving school.
There are also suggested speed reductions in areas such as Upper Plain, and Castlepoint and Riversdale.
The initial speed reductions are based on community feedback and NZTA advice, including its Safer Speeds review. The Council seeks to understand whether the initial proposals align with community and stakeholder expectations.
Once feedback has been received, a formal consultation process will be carried out before any changes are made.
MDC chief executive Kath Ross said the review process was designed to ensure changes were led by community views.
“First, we want to hear from people about what they think of the areas being focused on and whether they think the proposed speed limits are suitable,” she said.
“That will enable us to finalise proposals which will be part of a formal consultation process.”
The review is likely to expand to other roads in the district in 2020/21 as part of a New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) regional speed review programme involving all three Wairarapa district councils and the Wairarapa Road Safety Council.
The Council has received a number of requests from the community to lower the speed limit on State Highway 2, north and south of Masterton.
This road is managed by NZTA and is likely to form part of the Wairarapa regional speed review. To highlight the need to urgently review these sections, the Council will also make a decision on whether to formally ask NZTA to review these sections now, independent of the regional review, in conjunction with MDC’s stage 1 review.
The full paper to be considered by Masterton District Council on Wednesday (including roads covered by the stage 1 review) is available here, on page 121 of the council agenda (page 31 of the pdf).
ENDS
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