In Transit - March 1998 - No. 89 - Mobile phone dangers and preparation needed for major state highway projects

The March 1988 edition of InTransit highlights the growing dangers of mobile phone use on road safety, noting a paper to be delivered at a forthcoming conference reporting "mobile-phone users who make more than three calls per trip have nearly three times as many injury accidents and twice as many fatal accidents as those who never use a mobile phone".

At the time the then Land Transport Safety Authority noted that there were more crashes due to people lighting a cigarette or adjusting a car stereo than a mobile phone, but of course the numbers of the public with mobile phones in 1998 were still relatively modest.  A smaller article on the second page notes a Canadian paper that mobile phone use increases driving danger as much as drunk driving.  In 1998 there was no specific offence in New Zealand of driving whilst using a mobile phone.

Other notable articles in this edition are:

• A major project update noting progress on the following projects:
• Stage One Kamo Bypass, SH1, Whangarei (subsequently completed)
• Orewa Bridge replacement, SH1 Rodney District (completed the following month)
• Albany-Silverdale (ALPURT), SH1 Auckland, construction contracts let, resource consents sought for Silverdale to Puhoi (subsequently discontinued as the project was reprioritised and redesigned to be a toll road).
• Mercer-Cambridge four laning (later dubbed the Waikato Expressway). Designations sought for Mercer to Ohinewai, and corridor options being considered for Ohinewai to Cambridge. At the time it was thought the project would be completed in 2010, but was completed in 2022.
• Kopu Bridge replacement, SH25. Expected to be completed 2002, it was actually completed 2011.
• Hawke's Bay Motorway (later Expressway). Pakowhai to Hastings under construction, the York Road  (bypassing Hastings) extension under design. Full completion expected 1999 (which was true for those sections, but the final extension south was not completed until 2011).
• Vinegar Hill realignment, SH1 Manawatu. Under construction and was completed 1999
• Newlands Interchange, SH1 Wellington, under construction and completed late 1998
• Thorndon Motorway Viaduct seismic strengthening SH1, Wellington, under construction and completed 1999 (images included in this edition).
• Stoke Bypass, SH6 Nelson. Work commenced and would be completed on schedule in 2000.
• Otira Viaduct, SH73 Canterbury, Work underway and concluded in 1999
• Fairfield Bypass SH1 Dunedin, Route designation and resource consent applications lodged. Project would be completed in 2003.
• Success of the Thorndon motorway viaduct seismic strengthening project, designed to ensure it can survive a 1 in 500 year earthquake of up to seven on the Richter scale.
• Article describing the process (in 1998) of developing a major highway project before construction could begin, the stages being:
• Strategic planning
• Investigation
• Design
• Planning approval
• Land purchase
• Construction
• Transit NZ adopting new standards on road lighting.

1997/98 National Roading Programme : Transfund News June/July 1997 No.5 and In Transit July 1997 No.82

 

This post contains both the Transfund and Transit NZ newsletters focused on the 1997/1998 National Roading Programme, the second National Roading Programme released by Transfund.  The key point was that the funding threshold for capital works had been lowered from a BCR of 4.5/1 to 4/1 (it had been 5/1 for some years before then). This saw $829.2m (exc.GST) being spent in that year.  This saw a 20% increase in road construction. Main construction projects funded included:

• Widening Auckland's Northern Motorway northbound from Onewa Rd to Esmonde Rd
• Albany-Puhoi realignment (Albany-Silverdale-Orewa section)
• Realignment of SH26 Platts Rd, Waikato District
• Realignment of SH5 Stockpile curves, Rotorua District
• Realignment of SH33 Maungarangi S bends, Western BOP District
• SH1 deviation Taihape
• Ngaere Overbridge realignment SH3, Stratford District
• Plimmerton-Pukerua Bay realignment and four laning, SH1 Wellington
• Realignment Sloans-Tumai, SH1, Otago
• Stoke Bypass construction SH6
• Khyber Pass, Symonds St, Newton St intersection upgrade, Auckland City
• Mt Eden/Balmoral intersection upgrade, Auckland City
• ALPURT-Orewa Link Road, Rodney District
• Stage 2 Glenorchy Rd seal extension ,Queenstown-Lakes District
• Southern Catlins Scenic Route seal extension, Clutha District

Also of note were modest increases in maintenance funding for local roads and state highways, continuation of similar funding for public transport subsidies, and funding for investigation and design works on several major projects notably:

• Kopu Bridge replacement SH25
• East Tamaki Corridor Arterial, Manukau City (later built as Te Irirangi Drive)
• R1 Arterial Hamilton City (later built as Wairere Drive)
• Kapiti Sandhills Arterial (later cancelled in favour of the Kapiti Expressway on a similar alignment)

It was noted that passenger transport funding was up 25% in Gisborne/Hawke's Bay, 14% in Manawatu/Wanganui/Taranaki and 9.6% in Otago/Southland. 

A separate leaflet on the new structure for Transfund New Zealand was also published (see below)

The In-Transit newsletter focused understandably on the state highway projects. Besides the projects listed above, it also noted funding to improve the Taupo northern access, the Vinegar Hill realignment at SH1/SH54 intersection in Rangitikei District and the widening of seven one-lane bridges on SH6 in Queenstown/Lakes District, as one bridge on SH94.  

Other articles in the In Transit newsletter noted:

• Development of modelling of traffic flows;
• Continuing construction of the SH16 Rosebank-Patiki Interchange on Auckland's North-Western Motorway (providing east bound off and on ramps to pair with the westbound ones that had long existed). 

In Transit - February 1997 - No. 78 - Focus on repairs after Cyclones Fergus and Drena

 

In NZ, emergency works were always not too far away as part of the portfolio of works for road networks.  In February 1997, Cyclones Fergus and Drena caused extensive damage mainly in the Coromandel District.  The feature article highlights the cost of $5.8m (1997 prices) to fix the damage on SH25 and SH2, but also damage on SH1 (Brynderwyns), SH35 and SH88.

Other stories include:

• Review of Special Purpose Roads: Special Purpose Roads were a category of local road that were subject to higher Financial Assistance Rate funding (typically 75%) from the National Roading Programme compared to other local roads (which obtain typically 50%). Such roads get higher funding because of a high proportion of tourist traffic, be below state highway standard and pass by properties with rating potential much lower than the costs of maintaining the road.  Curiously, this decision has mostly funding implications, yet was being carried out by Transit New Zealand which was no longer the funding agency, as Transfund New Zealand had been formed the previous year. 
• Declaration of the revoked section of SH38 as a Special Purpose Road: As part of the State Highway Review in 1995, Transit New Zealand revoked SH38 between Te Whaiti and Ruatahuna. Transit announced it had decided to classify it as a Special Purpose Road increasing the funding to 75% of maintenance costs. That section of road was not sealed at the time. 
• Earthquake strengthening of Thorndon Overbridge of the Wellington Urban Motorway: Image provided of the work to strengthen the 72 concrete columns supporting the Wellington Urban Motorway from the harbour over the Ferry Terminal, railway yards, Thorndon Quay. 
• Briefing to the incoming Minister of Transport - Jenny Shipley indicates critical traffic levels in Auckland: This noted that traffic on Auckland Harbour Bridge had increased 20% between 1989 and 1997, and on the Northern Motorway south of Albany (when at this time it terminated), it had doubled from 1989 to 1995.  It noted work was underway investigating and consulting on various major projects included:
• SH1 Albany-Puhoi (built in two stages)
• SH1 Harbour Bridge approaches (subsequently cancelled in favour of the Victoria Park Tunnel)
• SH18 Greenhithe Bypass (built as part of the Upper Harbour Motorway)
• SH18 Hobsonville Bypass (built as part of the Upper Harbour Motorway)
• SH20 extension to Richardson Road (built)
• SH20 extension to SH1 south (built)
• Bus only lanes on Northern Motorway (partially replaced with Northern Busway)
• Transit NZ winning the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) environmental award: For the upgrade of SH12 through Waipoua Forest.

Connections March 1995 - Pokeno Bypass and announcement of strategy for Waikato Expressway

 

Pokeno Bypass

Pokeno Bypass

Waikato Expressway

Waikato project update

In this edition of Connections, the Hamilton regional office newsletter, the focus as in the national newsletter, is on the Pokeno Bypass, with over two pages dedicated to how the project will enable the town to be upgraded and grow.  The other key point in this issue is the strategy for a "four lane highway from Ohinewai to Cambridge" which would later be known as the Waikato Expressway (completed at the end of 2022!).  The thought at the time was to use as much existing road as possible, but that bypasses would be looked at for Ngaruawahia and Huntly.  The report noted four-laning was already underway at Tamahere between Hamilton and Cambridge, and projects south of the Bombay Hills (including the Pokeno Bypass) that extend the motorway to Mercer (because both locations were accident blackspots).  A separate strategy is being developed between Mercer and Ohinewai.  

Finally, a whole page dedicated to a long list of projects of various scale across Waikato, ranging from the three projects on SH1 between the Bombay Hills and Cambridge, along with a large number of mostly safety oriented realignment projects across the region, plus finishing the sealing of SH25 Coromandel, Fairy Springs Road 4-laning in Rotorua.  This all emphasised the focus of funding at the time on small to medium sized safety oriented projects.

Connections August 1994

 

Connections August 1994

Connections August 1994

The Hamilton Regional Office published a newsletter called Connections, this is the first edition. It summarises progress on a range of projects in the Waikato region. Of historical note are:

• Upgrades to SH25 around the Coromandel Peninsula including completing the sealing of the highway!
• Three major SH1 projects that all comprised part of the Waikato Expressway and were the first stages of the expressway.

Other projects listed include realignments at Mangaiti Hill south of Tokoroa, Tuahu realignment south of Atiamuri (both on SH1), Chinaman's Hill realignment and Te Kawa Crossroads on SH3, and the Whakahora Deviation on SH27.  Altogether it highlights how many relatively small, but high value projects were being advanced with Benefit Cost Ratios of 5 and above in the region, primarily because they would reduce serious accidents.

SH25

In 1994, there was concern about the need to make the only highway around the Coromandel Peninsula safer and more resilient. A key part of this is sealing the section from Whitianga to Coromandel to enable a sustainable and attractive tourist route.  

SH1

The term "Waikato Expressway" had not been coined yet, but Transit NZ had already made a strategic decision to plan for a four-lane highway between Auckland and Cambridge.  The three projects mentioned are under construction, out to tender and under design respectively:

• Tamahere Deviation: 3.5km of expressway south of Hamilton at the intersection with Airport Road, justified due to the poor accident record, but showed some considerable foresight to build the first segment of expressway in Waikato.  Note the construction cost of only $9 million.
• Mangatawhiri Bridge Realignment: This segment south of Pokeno eliminated a sharp and narrow section of highway (now Pioneer Rd).  Noting that it took 2.5 years of loading on the ground due to the soft soils, which would prove to be an issue for other segments of road in this area, and was a short four-lane segment designed to connect with..
• Pokeno Bypass: Hard to believe now, but in 1994 SH1 went through Pokeno.  The new 4km bypass connecting directly with the (then) recently opened Bombay Hills Interchange would, with the Mangatawhiri project, effectively extend the expressway south to Mercer,  As with other early segments, the accident rate in Pokeno, plus travel time and fuel savings made this a highly efficient project to advance.

Finishing sealing the state highways?

In Transit February 1994

Hard as it is to believe, but the state highway network is to this day not fully sealed.  Ten km of State Highway 43 is not sealed today in 2023, although funding to address this was approved in 2019. State Highway 43.  Two of the twelve kilometres of the highway has been sealed recently, and the remaining work will be completed in 2024. This has taken quite some time, as the InTransit newsletter from the then State Highway manager (and funding agency), Transit New Zealand indicated. Transit New Zealand wanted to seal all of the state highways by 2002, with this headline story noting that SH87 Dunedin to Middlemarch, SH38 to Lake Waikaremoana and SH43 Stratford to Taumarunui had not been sealed.

However, these weren't the priority. Top priority was SH6 Haast Pass, which is extraordinary as this is the only road connection from the West Coast to Otago and Southland. This was followed by SH12 through the Waipoua Forest and SH25 around the Coromandel Peninsula. It is rather extraordinary to think that these roads were unsealed in considerable part 30 years ago.

SH6, SH12 and SH25 had sealing completed in the subsequent eight years, but SH87, 38 and 43 took more time.

SH87 Dunedin to Middlemarch was sealed in the late 1990s, noting that it had been neglected in part because the Otago Central Railway was seen as the key corridor, but that had been closed in 1990 and the remaining segment used for tourist excursions. There was definitely an element of political decision making to put some road improvements on a low priority to try to save rail.  A similar argument would have been made around SH43 Stratford to Taumarunui which until recently had a relatively well used railway line in operation, connecting Taranaki to Waikato and Auckland (with passenger rail service operating until 1983), and which until the 1990s had a freight terminal at Ohura. That railway line is mothballed, but undoubtedly its presence would have seen proposals to seal the parallel state highway as appearing to be wasteful.

SH38 Lake Waikaremoana was sealed subsequently, although it is important to remember that 198km of the route through the Urewera National Park is not state highway and is unsealed.

SH43 Tangarakau Gorge remains partly unsealed.

The attached report reflects a survey undertaken of local authorities and the tourism sector on priorities for sealing roads, at a time of tight budgets.  Notable was priority given to sealing Glenorchy Road around Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, and the Crown Range route, all of which proceeded in the 1990s as growth in tourism was seen as a national priority.  The Catlins route along the Otago-Southland coastline is also included in this and has no doubt opened up that scenic region to many more visitors (and again much of that area had a railway line until 1971 that would have influenced political decision making around upgrading a road when a marginal railway line was in operation). 

It is worth noting that at this time, when the funding threshold for road projects was high (a benefit-cost ratio of better than 5:1 required) sealing the state highways was seen as a strategically important project even though it had a poor BCR. In most cases the benefits were seen as mainly being reduced maintenance costs over 25 years, improved travel times and some improved safety, but wider economic benefits were not included in appraisal. It might be argued that having sealed these roads they induced more traffic which increased economic opportunities for tourism-supported businesses much further afield (e.g. encouraging self-drive travel between the West Coast and Wanaka/Queenstown). 

This is a reminder of the strict austerity around road capital spending by central government at this time, and indeed ho much government historically did not spend significantly on many state highways over decades if they were not seen as economically or politically significant.