Associate Minister of Transport, Kieran McAnulty, visited Waimakariri today to mark the start of work on a $41 million programme to improve road safety in the district.
“The projects started today is critical for the people of Waimakariri as it will address the stretch of SH1 between Saltwater Creek and the Cam River/Ruataniwha that has claimed the lives of five people from 2010 to 2020, and seriously injured 30,” Minister McAnulty said.
“These safety improvements, including flexible median barriers and wide centrelines, will help reduce the risk along this increasingly busy highway corridor,” he said.
Safety upgrades on SH1 will receive $31 million, while Waimakariri District Council will receive $6 million for work to create safe neighbourhoods for pedestrians and cyclists.
“These walking and cycle paths are part of our work to upgrade New Zealand’s transport infrastructure system to make it safer, more people-friendly, and more efficient for current and future generations to come,” said Mr McAnulty.
“There’s been a huge amount of work put in by the council, contractors, the community, and Waka Kotahi to get to this point. Thank you to everyone who has been involved and supported this partnership.
“Resilient road networks are crucial for the economy and wellbeing of all regions, and especially for rural communities. There’s still work to do to catch up on decades of underfunding, but the work started today continues our track record of making sure Kiwis can travel on safe and reliable roads,” he said.
