The NZTA have engaged in major works over the last few years to facilitate traffic flow to and from Northland. These improvements have included massive safety changes to major intersections and the widening of thoroughfares.

The schedule of work in Whangarei includes removing the right turn at Tarewa Road, potential changes to the Otaika shopping area, including the possible loss of car-parking there.

The old thinking, and still very much in vogue in New Zealand, is taking State Highways through the centres of the towns which they connect. Newer thinking, practised virtually everywhere else on the planet, is to route highways around major centres as thoroughfares, with feeders into the centres for those whose destination actually is the centre. The advantage of this is that it allows the growth of the centre to develop while facilitating the national flow of traffic.

The question regarding current SH1 works proposed through Otaika and Whangarei is whether this is in the best interests of Whangarei residents? Is this the best route for our major national highway?

Originally the improvements on SH1 were scheduled to route the nation’s principal thoroughfare through Hatea Drive, but this decision was later reversed and the route for SH1 was instead extended along Western Hills Drive. If the NZTA plan is to continue to draw all SH1 traffic through Whangarei, destroying housing, landscapes and city character in its path, might it be time to consider alternative routes?

One such suggested route could be to convert SH15 through Maungatapere to Kaikohe into a re-routed SH1.

Let me know what you think, Whangarei. Are the proposed changes to Otaika to facilitate SH1, good changes?  Is this the best route for SH1?

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