In April 1997, the Transit NZ newsletter (no longer monthly as the previous edition was February, focused on the success in reducing the road toll. It also reported on opening of a motorway extension in Auckland (SH20 Mangere to Papatoetoe) and commencement of work on another (SH1 Albany to Puhoi enabling works), with cost estimates that look remarkably cheap compared to today in real terms.
1996 had the lowest road toll in 32 years at 515 fatalities, 67 fewer than in 1995, and only higher than 1964 which had 428 with a much lower population and VKT.
It was attributed to a focus on drunk driving and speeding, along with the long standing "black spot" programme established in 1985 focusing on locations where there had been at least three injury accidents within five years. On all roads there were 4200 fewer injury crashes at locations remedied comparing 1985 to 1996, reducing crashes by 28%, with about half of the reduction on state highways. The crash investigation programme gathered data on each site to identify the causes of crashes and what infrastructure improvements might address them. A wider initiative was a highway inspection process to identify network deficiencies and develop a safety culture to address possible issues, like overgrown foliage blocking visibility at intersections. Covert speed camera trials were being considered to address speeding.
Page 2 continued the article on safety, but also South American interest in the reforms in the road sector, particularly from Colombia, with some observations on technology such as telecommuting and enabling motorists to "dial up" traffic cameras as part of Auckland's Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) (a precursor to accessing them online).
Page 3 announced enabling contracts had been let for the then $165m Albany to Puhoi extension to the Northern Motorway. At the time, the motorway was to be four-lanes to Orewa, and only two-lanes with passing lanes from Orewa to Puhoi, but built to a standard to enable four-laning at a later stage (the tunnel was not envisaged at this time). The project was intended to be completed by 1999, but only the Albany to Silverdale section had been completed by that date. At the time, the project (ALPURT as it was then called) was the largest single road project ever undertaken in New Zealand, primarily because all other sections of motorway in Auckland (and other cities) were built piecemeal over many years.
Page 3 also saw the opening of the SH20 extension between Mangere Bridge and Papatoetoe, and the Airport Motorway as far as Kirkbride Road intersection with George Bolt Memorial Drive (then only a single-lane highway with passing lanes). The entire project was a five km extension built at a cost of $40m. It was notable as the first ever design-build contract let by Transit NZ. The project notably included four pedestrian over bridges along with eight local road over bridges, and associated cycleways. It was reported as having significantly reduced congestion on urban roads through Mangere, effectively combining two sections of motorway from Hillsborough Road through to Roscommon Road. It also significantly reduced travel times to and from the airport (noting there was no eastern access route to the airport at the time).
Page 4 reports on the use of a vehicle using lasers to measure road surfaces on all state highways to help collect data for the RAMM asset maintenance system to better plan road maintenance across the network. Finally, there is a report on the realignment of SH6 Rai Valley in Marlborough ($263,000) which required relocation of a 50 year old kauri tree.
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