The Otago-Southland branch of NZ Transport Agency installed the strips, designed to act as a wake-up alarm if driven over, along State Highway 1 between the Waitaki bridge and Invercargill, acting state highway manager Murray Clarke said.
The cost of installing rumble strips, on both sides of the road, was $4000 per km.
They would be monitored for noise and safety impact.
Pine Hill residents complained after strips were installed on the Northern Motorway, near their homes, about three weeks ago.
"The noise at night . . . became a bit of an issue," Mr Clarke said.
The agency's policy was to not install strips within 100m of residential property. Although the strips complied, the area was not considered "high risk" for accidents, so 1km of them was removed on Thursday.
"It may not be the last because it's new and it takes a while for people to get used to things," Mr Clarke said.
Each case would be taken on its merits and he believed the strips had "generally been positive" and had proved successful in reducing accidents.
