Speed reduction approved for part of Marine Drive
In October 2023, we reduced the speed limit along Marine Drive between Whiorau Lowry Bay and Sunshine Bay, from 70km/h to 50km/h.
After careful consideration of community feedback, Council and Waka Kotahi have approved the change. This will improve safety for all road users, including those walking and cycling, while maintaining a consistent speed limit along the Eastern Bays waterfront.
This speed adjustment is a result of a speed and safety review, which was a prerequisite for the Tupua Horo Nuku shared path project.
When Tupua Horo Nuku is completed, Council will also install three new raised pedestrian crossings near bus shelters along Marine Drive to further improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work towards creating a safer and more accessible environment in our community.
Will the change affect travel times: The surveyed average driving speed along this section is 52.8km/h due to tight bends and short straight sections that naturally restrict travel speeds. This indicates that the current speed limit is not suited to driving conditions.
Based on our data collection, reducing the speed limit to 50km/h is unlikely to create noticeable differences to travel time.
What is the crash history in that area: Along the section where the speed limit is changing, there have been 14 crashes reported in the 5-year period between 2016-2020. Two of the reported crashes involved severe injury. Notably, the section of Marine Drive with a 50km/h speed limit between Point Howard to Lowry Bay does not have any severe injury reported crashes for the same period.
What is the technical evidence for speed reduction: In an engineering report in January 2022, the safe and appropriate speed limit along Marine Drive was found to be 50km/h. This was based on reviewing tightness of bends, width of road shoulder, roadside hazards and number of access points such as driveways and intersections.