SH50 Pakowhai/Links Road roundabout.

Safety improvements that aim to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on the Hawke‘s Bay Expressway began on Monday 11 February.

The improvements are part of the NZ Transport Agency‘s $36 million investment in the Hawke‘s Bay Expressway that began in early 2017.

The NZTA‘s senior project manager Rob Partridge says the improvements, which include flexible median barriers and roadside barriers, should be completed in the next 12 months. 

“Between 2008 and 2017, 10 people were killed and 46 were seriously injured in crashes along the Hawke‘s Bay Expressway between Bay View and Paki Paki,” Partridge says.

“Our top priority is to make our roads safer for our community and ensure everyone gets home safely at the end of each day. These safety improvements will help prevent deaths and serious injuries if you or someone driving near you makes a mistake.”

The work will initially focus on three sections of the expressway from Flaxmere Avenue to Longlands Road, Prebensen Drive to Taradale Road, and Pakowhai Road to Evendon Road.

The programme has been designed to keep disruption to a minimum and the NZTA will provide information on progress and site changes online at https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/hawkes-bay-expressway-improvements/

Any day-to-day unexpected delays to the journey time between Hastings and Napier will be communicated on Facebook.

“We do ask for your patience and to be aware of potential lane changes and temporary speed limits as this work progresses,” Partridge says.