News & Media Releases
Wire rope will save lives and reduce injury severity
16 June 2005
Transit New Zealand says the installation of a 9-kilometre wire-rope crash barrier on State Highway 1 north of Rangiriri will save lives by preventing head-on crashes.
Regional Manager Chris Allen says the barrier project is almost complete and will hopefully mean an end to the high number of severe crashes on this stretch of highway.
"It was our analysis of the crashes that prompted us to propose the barrier as a safety solution. Many of the serious crashes involved cars crossing the centre line resulting in head-on crashes and multiple fatalities. The median barrier will prevent cars crossing over into on-coming traffic and should reduce the number of serious injury and fatal accidents on this stretch of highway."
In the 10 years to 2004, 17 people died in 12 fatal crashes on this stretch of highway. Nine of those crashes were head-on collisions.
Another 26 people were seriously injured, and 86 suffered minor injuries.
Mr Allen said monitoring of other sections of wire rope barrier on New Zealand highways had shown their effectiveness in preventing head-on crashes.
"On the expressway south of Rangiriri, we have had one vehicle a month hitting the barrier. In all cases, the rope has stopped the vehicle crossing into the path of oncoming traffic."
Long term goal is four lanes
Mr Allen says Transit's long-term goal is to construct a four-lane expressway on this section of SH1 north of Rangiriri. However, he says the existing highway has sufficient capacity to cope with traffic growth over the next 10 years.
"With that capacity, Transit could not justify the cost of four-laning in the next 10 years, but we recognised we had to do something about safety," he said.
Mr Allen said the three projects completed or under construction between Mercer and Huntly will prevent fatalities and serious injuries on a section of highway where crash severity has historically been very high.
Emergency access available
Emergency services do have access to crash sites and their needs were factored into the design of the project, he said.
"Emergency access was one of the reasons we widened the highway before we installed the wire rope barrier. Now, the widened shoulder, traffic lane and median width provide a minimum sealed width of 5.7m where there is a single lane adjacent to the barrier, and this width expands to 9.2m where there are two lanes. In emergencies, additional width is also generally available in the form of a metal shoulder on the road and a grass road reserve. The average car is less than two metres wide."
"We believe that the road is wide enough to allow good access for emergency services, and overseas experience supports this."
"One of the strengths of this barrier system is that it provides for speedy dismantling, should this be required for access to a crash site and to allow other vehicles on the road a detour. Our network contractor has been liaising closely with Fire Service staff, and has demonstrated that a section of barrier can be laid flat in 6-7 minutes if required," Mr Allen says.
Event will mark completion
Mr Allen said Transit would mark the completion of the Long Swamp to Rangiriri Safety Improvements project at a function in Rangiriri on 28 June. Minister of Transport Safety, Hon. Harry Duynhoven will attend, along with Transit CEO Rick van Barneveld and community leaders.
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