Green light for lower peak-hour school speed limits

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Publication title: Katikati Advertiser

Outside of school drop-off and pick-up times, the speed limit around rural schools in the district will drop to 80km/h, while around urban schools it will remain at 50km/h — unless the speed limit is already lower, in which case it will remain unchanged

Further changes under the plan include lowering the speed limit in Ōmokoroa and Te Puke town centres to 40km/h, in line with Waihī Beach town centre, which became 40km/h in 2021 through a previous bylaw process.

Katikati’s main road is a state highway, and a 40km/h limit is intended by the NZ Transport Authority Waka Kotahi and supported by the district council.

Speed limits will also be lowered in areas where the council received feedback from the community to do so, including Fairview Estate (all roads within the estate 30km’h), Matakana Island (all roads 60km/h unless lower), Te Puna from State Highway 2 to Tauranga Harbour (all roads 60km/h unless lower), Pahoia Rd from the railway to the existing 50km/h area (60km/h), and Wilson Rd North in Maketū (extension of the 50km/h and 70km/h zones).

It is likely the new speed limits will come into effect within the next two years. The timing and cost of implementing the changes will be shared between the council and NZTA, subject to resource and funding...