In a joint effort to increase road safety in the Tasman District, the NZ Transport Agency is lowering speed limits on a busy stretch of State Highway 60 between Richmond and Motueka, in time for Christmas. The Tasman District Council is also lowering speeds on a number of adjoining roads at the same time.

The new State Highway 60 speed limit of 80 km/h will apply from Tuesday, 18 December, between McShane Road in Appleby to Maisey Road overlooking the Waimea Inlet. Nine adjoining roads managed by Tasman District will also have their speed limits lowered.

“The lower speed limit is in response to concerns about this section of highway for some time, combined with community requests for safer speeds and subsequent public consultation,” says NZTA director regional relationships Jim Harland.

Signs will advertise the new 80km/h speed limits on the roads with additional electronic signs flashing ‘Slow Down‘ if drivers exceed 80 km/h.

The full list of roads with reduced speeds

As well as State Highway 60, between McShane and Maisey Roads, Lower Queen Street will be 80km/h from west of Swamp Road to the end of the road, as well as the full lengths of Lansdowne Road, Best Island Road, Blackbyre Road, Redwood Road, Research Orchard Road and Pukeko Lane. Barnett Avenue and Appleby‘s River Road will go to 60km/h.

Proposed new speed limits map (insert map here)

“Taking a road network approach to the speed limit reduction avoids people ‘rat-running‘ by choosing less busy local roads over the highway and it also avoids confusion when people go onto or off the main highway onto the adjoining roads,” says Harland.

The NZTA has installed minor safety improvements along State Highway 60 in recent years including side barriers and intersection improvements.