MINISTERIAL BRIEFING NOTE
Subject
State Highway 3 (Bell Block - Waitara)
Date
8 August 2018
Briefing number
BRI-1434
Contacts for telephone discussion (if required)
Name
Position
Direct line
Cell phone
1st contact
Brett Gliddon
General Manager,
s9(2)(a)
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System Design &
Delivery
Simon Barnett
Principal Transport s9(2)(a)
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Planner
Action taken by Minister’s Office
Noted
Seen by Minister
Agreed
Feedback provided
Forwarded to
Needs change [please specify]
Withdrawn
Overtaken by events
BRI-
1434
8 August 2018
Minister of Transport
State Highway 3 (Bell Block - Waitara)
Purpose
1. This briefing provides you with information on proposed improvements to State Highway
3 (SH3) between Bell Block and Waitara in New Plymouth.
2. Neil Holdom, Mayor of New Plymouth District Council, is due to speak with you on
Thursday 9 August about safety concerns relating to this section of SH3, as detailed in
his letter dated 3 August 2018.
3. The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is finalising detailed investigations on SH3 to improve
safety and ease congestion between Waitara and Bell Block. A preferred option is expected
to be confirmed later this year. As part of this process, the NZTA is investigating options
to stage implementation to allow some of the more straight forward safety upgrades to
be fast-tracked.
Detailed investigations on SH3 (Bell Block and Waitara) are nearing completion
4. Making SH3 safer is a priority for the NZTA. The NZTA has been working closely with the
New Plymouth District Council, local residents and other key stakeholders to undertake
detailed investigations on SH3 between Bell Block and Waitara to improve safety, reduce
crashes and ease congestion.
5. In March 2017, the community was asked to share their views on the issues and
experiences with the road. This information was used to shape the NZTA’s investigations
and options for improving the highway. Over the 2017/18 summer period, the community
was asked to provide feedback on these potential options.
6. Following consultation, and further investigations, more extensive works were
undertaken to develop the recommended option.
7. This work is now drawing to a close, with the preferred option (including timeframes for
implementation) expected to be confirmed by the NZTA within the next three months.
8. Once the preferred option is confirmed, the NZTA will update the New Plymouth District
Council and affected local residents before wider public announcements are made.
9. At this stage, the proposed package of improvements on SH3 between Bell Block and
Waitara includes:
• roundabouts at high-risk intersections providing safer and efficient access to and
from the state highway
• changing some intersections so there is no right turn in or out of roads coming off
the highway
• a consistent speed limit
• re-marking the road to increase the current width of road shoulders
• installing flexible roadside safety barriers
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1434
• installing flexible median barriers or widening the centreline
• installing rumble strips on the side and centre of the road
• removing passing lanes and adding slow vehicle lanes on roundabout exits to allow
vehicles to pass slower traffic more efficiently
• improving signage, road markings and traffic islands
• installing a pedestrian underpass at Princess Street to make it safer and easier for
people to cross the state highway.
Next Steps
10. In paral el with the detailed design phase, the NZTA will be progressing the land purchase
and consenting processes, both of which will need to be approved before construction
activities can begin.
11. As part of the process of finalising the preferred option, the NZTA is investigating options
to fast-track the more straight forward safety upgrades on the route.
12. The delivery timeframes for SH3 improvements between Bell Block and Waitara will be
informed by the 2018-2021 National Land Transport Programme, which is due to be
adopted by the Transport Agency Board at the end of the month.
Out of Scope
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1434
18. The NZTA’s Director Regional Relationships (Central North Island), Parekawhia McLean, is
seeking a meeting with Mayor Holdom and the Council’s Chief Executive in th
to discuss the SH3 improvements between Bell Block and Waitara, and
Out of Scope .
It is recommended that you:
1.
Note the information provided.
s9(2)(a)
..................
Brett Gliddon
Group Manager, System Design and Delivery
............................................................................
Hon Phil Twyford, Minister of Transport Date:
2018