Waka Kotahi is planning lower speed limits at the Whatawhata intersection. New plans out for consultation show an extension of the 80km/hr zone on SH23 past the Te Pahu Rd intersection on the Raglan side and all the way over the hill past Cemetery and the Borman Roads on the Hamilton side of Whatawhata.
They’ll then create a 60km/hr zone in the middle of Whatawhata that runs from the School Rd intersection through to the other side of the Waipa Bridge. They will also reduce the 70km/hr zone on SH39 to a 50km/hr zone from the intersection through to the Rugby Club.
The Whatawhata community and former Waikato Mayor Allan Sanson had successfully campaigned for a roundabout at the intersection but Simeon Brow,n during his time as transport minister, removed a number of safety upgrades from NZTA’s plans. Despite this, NZTA staff have found a way to address the issues at the increasingly dangerous intersection while still planning for a roundabout when funds become available in the future.
You can read more or comment on the proposal here.
Waikato’s wastewater network is also in the news, with new national figures from Taumata Arowai’s Network Environmental Performance Report showing that wastewater overflows, ageing underground pipes and drinking water losses remain a problem.
Despite improvements to wastewater overflows in Raglan several years ago, Waikato district was ranked the 14th worst council area in New Zealand, with 18 overflows per 100km of pipe.
This made Waikato the second-worst district in the region, behind Waitomo, which recorded 60 overflows per 100km of pipe. That result placed Waitomo fourth worst among New Zealand’s 67 district and city council areas.
In local sport, Whāingaroa Whai Tāne will play their Senior A semifinal at home this Saturday at 2pm.
They are expected to have the edge with their well-known home crowd advantage, but the greater challenge could come in next weekend’s final against the Hauraki Tigers.
The wāhine’s season is over after they lost their Women’s Premiership quarterfinal last weekend.
The Raglan Roosters continue their search for a win in the Waikato Football Sunday League. This weekend’s match is against Himalayan FC in Hamilton at 11am.
Himalayan FC are currently third in the league, while the Roosters sit at the bottom of the Division One table. Hopes may not be high, but a victory would be their first since May.