Safety improvements to start on State Highway 11, Bay of Islands

The NZ Transport Agency is about to start work to improve safety on State Highway 11 in the Bay of Islands.

The $1.3 million safety improvements project, which is due to start in June, will involve installing wire rope side barriers, seal widening and profiled line markings (rumble strips) from the Haruru Airfield to the Lily Pond Bridge.

The Transport Agency’s Road Safety and Northland Regional Director, Ernst Zollner, says the safety improvements will make the route safer by reducing the risk of death and serious injury.

“Drivers losing control and running off the road is the most common type of crash on this stretch of road and roadside hazards such as trees and steep drop offs mean that these crashes often result in serious injuries.

“Side barriers provide protection to drivers and limit the severity of run-off-road crashes when they do happen.”

The improvements are expected to be finished in September 2016 with the road remaining open throughout the work. Traffic management will be in place and drivers may experience minor delays at times.

The improvements are part of the Transport Agency’s Safe System approach, recognises that while mistakes are inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not.

The Safe System looks across the entire road system to improve safety – including making roads and roadsides safer and encouraging safer speeds and vehicles.

ENDS

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