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Passing and Overtaking Policy

General Information

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SH12 Waipoua BridgeSH1 Waihola Lake Road

What is the Difference between Passing and Overtaking?

As referred to in the policy, the difference is:

  • Passing - vehicles use specific passing facilities to pass slower vehicles.
  • Overtaking - vehicles cross into the opposing traffic lane to pass slower vehicles.

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What is the Passing & Overtaking Policy?

Key Elements:

  • Retain/enhance overtaking opportunities both at low flows and in conjunction with passing facilities.
  • Optimise the use of passing facilities in terms of design and location.
  • Provide an intermediate treatment between passing lanes in series and four-laning - (i.e. 2+1 lanes known as continuous alternating passing lanes).
  • Apply supporting treatments and measures that assist or act as alternatives to passing and overtaking treatments.

    • Types of Strategy:

    The Policy will apply four different types of strategy, generally depending on the expected traffic flows and steepness of the road gradient along a road section.

    The types of strategy are:

  • Overtaking
  • Mainly overtaking
  • Mixed overtaking and passing
  • passing

    • Wide Range of Treatments and Measures:

    Depending on the type of road section strategy, the Policy will develop a long-term layout for:

  • Overtaking treatments
  • Passing treatments

    • Depending on the type of road section strategy, supporting treatments and measures will also be applied, namely:

  • Centreline
  • Roadside / edgeline
  • Intersections
  • Resource planning
  • Education
  • Enforcement
  • Travel demand management
  • Intelligent transport systems

What is the Purpose of the Passing & Overtaking Policy?

SH12 Waipoua BridgeSH1 south of Tokoroa

The main purpose of the Passing and Overtaking Policy is to improve the efficiency of the existing two-lane state highway network, until the point where four-laning is likely to be required.

The Policy will be applied in rural and peri-urban (peripheral urban) areas. Improvements will be assessed in terms of:

  • Extra traffic flow capacity.
  • Reduction in overtaking/passing demand.
  • Increased road safety.
  • Affordability and cost effectiveness.

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How does the Passing and Overtaking Policy help Transit achieve its Objectives?

Updated New Zealand Transport Strategy & Government Policy Statement

Relevant Government Policy Statement targets 2009/10 - 20014/15 that Transit's Passing and Overtaking Policy will help to achieve include:

  • No overall deterioration in travel times and reliability on critical routes by 2015.
  • Reduce fatalities and hospitalisations from crashes by 2015.

Transit's goals:

  • Ensuring an integrated state highway network.
  • Providing safe state highway corridors for all users and affected communities.
  • Improving the state highway network's contribution to New Zealand's economic development and to the environmental and social well-being of New Zealand.

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    Why has Transit Changed Its Policy?

    Projected traffic flows

    Transit has undertaken research into projected traffic flows based on long-term trends. These projected traffic flows are shown in the table below.

    Annual Average
    Daily Traffic (VPD)    		 Current
    (km)    		 Next 25-30 years
    (km)
    10,000-25,000 200 1,100
    4,000-10,000 2,300 3,200
    < 4,000 7,400 5,600
    Total 9,900 9,900

    Note: Lengths exclude rural road sections proposed for four-laning and urban state highways.

    General conclusions based on projected traffic flows are:

  • The 10,000-25,000 vehicle per day (vpd) interval is typically above the range for efficient use of passing lanes in series on flat and rolling road gradients but four-laning may not be cost-effective. An intermediate step needs to be considered between passing lanes in series and four-laning.
  • For road sections with projected 4,000-10,000 vpd, more passing lanes would be required and therefore more efficient and safe use of passing lanes should be considered.
  • For less than 4,000 vpd, there will still be a large part of the state highway network where overtaking is viable.

    • NOTE: Given the uncertainty in projected future traffic flows, road sections will be progressively developed in 10 year intervals towards a 25-30 year layout. By monitoring traffic flows, these 10 year interim strategies should closely match projected traffic growth and help to minimise the risk of over-development.

    Differences between Previous and Current Policy

    In October 2006, the Transit Board approved the Passing and Overtaking Policy. This Policy replaced the previous Passing Lane Strategy. Key differences are shown in the table below..

     

    Passing and Overtaking Policy
    Previous Passing Lane Strategy
    Demand is usually based on projected traffic flows and road gradient. 
    Demand based on current traffic flows.
    Wider range of infrastructure and non-infrastructure options.
    Mainly infrastructure options.
    Four different strategies depending on both traffic flows up to projected 25,000 vpd and road gradients.
    Generally, one strategy based on current 4,000-10,000 vpd (road gradient not considered). Some provision for overtaking treatmemts and slow vehicle bays < 4,000 vpd
    Passing lane lengths and spacings relative to projected traffic flows and road gradient.
    One passing lane (unspecified length) every 5 km.
    More consistent road and traffic conditions within each road section.
    Generally, coarser division of road sections.
    Regional Passing & Overtaking Plans will help to co-ordinate other scheduled Transit activities
    Regional Passing Lane Plans only considered passing lanes and other passing facilities.

     

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    How will the Policy be Implemented?

    SH12 Waipoua Bridge

    Provisional Passing & Overtaking Guidelines have been prepared and are being trialled by Transit staff and their Network Consultants. Key principles within these Guidelines that will help to implement the Policy include:

    • Integrated approach
    • Performance-based
    • Staged development of network
    • Appropriate use
    • Collaboration and communication
    • Continuous improvement
    • Education

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    What's Happening?

    Transit is currently rolling out the Passing and Overtaking Policy. This Policy has already been approved by the Transit Board. Transit is interested in working with other organisations, that are seeking to achieve similar objectives.

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Monitoring and Feedback

Transit is continuously improving its existing systems and developing new ones so that better information is provided on how the Policy is performing, namely:

  • Evaluation of Road User Survey questions relating to passing and overtaking.
  • Database for final (out-turn) costs.
  • Better capability for surveying traffic performance.
  • Monitoring of overseas research.

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Technical Information

Passing and overtaking documents

Key documents:

Supporting documents:

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Research

Transit Commissioned Technical Reports

Transit and Transfund Research Programme

These reports are not available on this web page. Some reports are downloadable from the Land Transport New Zealand web-site directly. Others you will have to enquiry directly with Land Transport New Zealand.

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Provisional PO Guidelines and Attachments

Document Download
Provisional PO Guidelines PDF 1004 KB
Attachment A - Glossary PDF 32KB
Attachment B - North Island Map PDF 3.1MB
Attachment B - South Island Map PDF 2.2MB
Attachment C - Differences Between NSHS & PO Policy PDF 24KB
Attachment D - Comparison with International Practice PDF 41KB
Attachment E - Option Notes PDF 145KB
Attachment F - Planning Notes PDF 163KB
Attachment G- Design Notes PDF 98KB

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Contact Us

For further information, email our team at passing@transit.govt.nz and we will get back to you promptly.