15 October
Masterton District Council has begun installing new road speed signs, the final step in confirming the speed changes made following the speed limit review earlier this year.
New 30km/h signs are being installed around Masterton’s town centre this week, with other updated speeds sign-posted around the district in the next month. Once speeds have been sign-posted they take immediate effect.
Chair of the council’s Town Centre Reference Group Cr Bex Johnson said reducing the speed on the northern part of Queen Street and surrounding streets to 30km/h was a good fit with the town centre revamp project.
“This reflects the speed that traffic is actually travelling in the town centre, and it emphasises that roads in this area are used by pedestrians as well as motorists. Speed is a major factor in the seriousness of injuries, if pedestrians are involved in crashes, and council research indicates the change will make little difference to travel times.”
The council received 137 submissions from the community as part of the speed limit review, with a range of speed reductions in the district subsequently agreed by the council.
“In other parts of Masterton and the wider district, motorists will see new variable speed signs outside some schools, with permanent speed reductions around some schools, including Douglas Park, MIS, Fernridge, and Whareama.
“And speeds in our coastal communities are also being reduced to 30km/h, to reflect the use of these roads,” Cr Johnson said.
The urban boundaries for Riversdale and Castlepoint have also been extended slightly following the review.
Motorists will also see changes on the Masterton Castlepoint Road and Te Ore Ore Road, and in the Upper Plain area.
“The primary focus of the speed limit review was to make our roads safer, and in many cases the new limits reflect what our community have told us is appropriate.
“Now’s the time for motorists to pay special attention to their speeds – it may be that the limits on their regular routes have changed.”
The table below sets out roads affected by speed limit changes. For a full legal description consult the by-law.
| Road | New Speed Limit (km/h) |
| Masterton town centre | |
| Queen Street (northern shopping area) |
30 |
| Bruce Street | 30 |
| King Street | 30 |
| King Street service lane | 30 |
| Park Street | 30 |
| Lincoln Road | 30 |
| Church Street | 30 |
| Church Street service lane | 30 |
| Perry Street | 30 |
| Cricket Street | 30 |
| Bannister Street | 30 |
| Jackson Street | 30 |
| Queen Street (Kuripuni) | 30 |
| First Street | 30 |
| Solway | |
| South Road extension | 60 |
| Upper Plain | |
| Tararua Drive
Upper Plain Road to road end |
80 |
| Evans Road | 80 |
| Skeets Road | 80 |
| Westbush Road – 2.5km to road end | 80 |
| Totara Park Drive | 80 |
| Upper Waingawa Road unsealed section | 60 |
| Upper Manaia Road | 80 |
| Chamberlain Road – extending 50km/h 480m from Upper Plain Road | 50 |
| Lansdowne | |
| Ardsley Lane | 50 |
| Manuka Street | 50 |
| Milford Downs | 50 |
| Schools | |
| Fernridge School | Variable 40 |
| Solway School | Variable 40 |
| Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Wairarapa, WairarapaTeen Parent Unit, Makoura College | Variable 40 |
| Masterton Primary School | Variable 40 |
| Lakeview School | Variable 40 |
| Whareama School | 60 |
| Masterton Intermediate School | 40 |
| Douglas Park School | 40 |
| Coastal settlements | |
| All settlement roads within the Riverdale urban traffic area including Riversdale Terraces | 30 |
| Riversdale Road | 30 |
| All settlement roads
within Castlepoint urban traffic area |
30 |
| Masterton Castlepoint Road | 50 |
| Masterton Castlepoint Road through Tauweru | 80 |
| Tauweru township sideroads | 50 |
| Te Ore Ore Road to just past intersection of Te Ore Ore Road-Bideford Road | 60 |