Decreased speed limits affecting Central Otago towns, including near busy intersections beside Albert Town and Arrowtown, will come into effect within the next week.
"The signs will go up by the end of this week or early next week and once the signs are up, then they'll be enforceable," New Zealand Transport Agency Central Otago area manager John Jarvis said yesterday.
The State Highway 8 intersection opposite the Millers Flat hotel was a "reasonably busy one", and the speed limit would drop from 100kmh to 80kmh for 400m either side of the intersection, he said. The agency was also looking at constructing a right-hand turning lane for traffic travelling from the south.
Although Lauder was not a big town, the increase in pedestrians and traffic because of the Otago Central Rail Trail necessitated cutting the speed limit from 100kmh to 80kmh through the town, Mr Jarvis said.
At Alexandra, the 50kmh zonewill be extended on SH85, beyond the Alexandra Holiday Park camping ground.
The speed limit on SH6 at Arrow Junction, between the Crown Range road and McDonnell Rd, will drop from 100kmh to 80kmh and was about minimising risk "so people are driving more defensively", he said.
"Likewise, the stretch of State Highway 6 from Albert Town to the Mt Iron intersection is becoming generally busier, so 80kmh is a more appropriate speed for the environment."
Work was continuing at the "high-risk" intersection of State Highways 8B and 6 near Cromwell. Two people died after a crash near the intersection in January and there was a similar crash, in which one person was injured, eight weeks later. Work will begin on a left-turning lane at the intersection within three weeks.
There were plans to further extend the 80kmh limit on SH6, to the intersection with Shortcut Rd, but that matter was still under consultation, Mr Jarvis said.
Dropping the speed limit through Omakau from 70kmh to 50kmh was also under discussion, he said.
