Pursuant to clause 5.2(1) of the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017, clause 4.4(4) of the Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 and a delegation from Waka Kotahi, the NZ Transport Agency, I, Hayley Evans, Senior Manager Systems Integrity, approve variable speed limits on State Highway 1, State Highway 2 and State Highway 59 as described in Schedule 1, in accordance with the conditions set out in this notice:

Conditions

1. Variable Speed Limit

Waka Kotahi may set a 30/40/50/60/70/80 or 100km/h variable speed limit on the sections of State Highway 1, State Highway 2 and State Highway 59 of as listed in Schedule 1, to manage the safety of all road users due to:

1. Changing traffic volumes or to ease congestion;
2. Emergency or temporary traffic management;
3. Different numbers and types of road users or different traffic movements; or
4. Changing environmental conditions.

2. Signs

Speed limit signs that comply with the Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 must be installed to identify a length of road subject to the variable speed limit as follows

1. At least two R1-2.1 “Variable speed” signs at the beginning of a length of road to which the variable speed limit applies (except for single lane on ramps where at least one R1-2.1 “Variable speed” sign is permissible), facing road users travelling towards the variable speed limit;
2. At least two R1-2.1 “Variable speed” repeater signs installed at each location with a spacing of no more than 1.5km between variable speed limit sign locations, for each length of road to which the variable speed limit applies;
3. Two “Standard” (R1-1) or (R1-1.1) speed limit signs at the end of a section of road to which a variable speed limit applies, facing road users leaving the variable speed limit and showing the permanent speed limit that applies to the road beyond that point;
4. Two “Standard” (R1-1) or “100km/h” (R1-1.1) may be used on State Highway 1, facing road users travelling towards the variable speed limit, between NZTM 2000 1,755,340.152 5,442,986.288 and NZTM 2000 1,754,021.210 5,441.747.769, but must be changed to R1-2.1 “Variable speed” signs as soon as this is practically possible; and
5. All R1-2.1 “Variable speed” signs installed after the date of publication of this notice must be capable of displaying the R1-2.1 Option B sign format as specified in Schedule 1 of the Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 so that all “Variable speed” signs on the corridor are switched to this format as soon as this is technically possible.

3. Displays

The speed limit displayed at any time may apply to:

1. All of the sections of State Highway 1, State Highway 2 and State Highway 59 as listed in Schedule 1 of this notice; or
2. Any length of road within the sections of State Highway 1, State Highway 2 and State Highway 59 as listed in Schedule 1 of this notice bounded by the location of the variable speed limit signs; or
3. Individual lanes, as indicated on the variable speed limit signs, if such signage is installed above each lane.

4. Sign Operation

The speed limit that applies an any time to a length of road must be displayed on the variable speed limit signs within that length of road except for a speed limit of 100km/h, which may be indicated by blank variable speed limit signs.

The display of the variable speed signs must flash in accordance with R1-2.1 options A or B as detailed in Table 1.

Table 1

5. Recording Changes in Speed Limits

Records must be kept showing the actual speed limit that applied to any particular length of road at any time. The records must be available for public inspection and include the time the speed limit changed, the date, the speed limit and a description of the beginning and end points of the length of road to which the speed limit applied

6. Bylaw

Waka Kotahi, Transport Services Group (as the Road Controlling Authority) must set the variable speed limit by making a bylaw in accordance with the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017.

7. Revocation

The notice titled Variable Speed Limits – State Highway 1 and State Highway 2, Wellington, published in the New Zealand Gazette, 23 February 2017, Notice No. 2017-au845, is revoked.

Schedule 1

Signed at Wellington this 29th day of November 2021.

HAYLEY EVANS, Senior Manager Systems Integrity, Waka Kotahi.