New 110km/h Speed Limit Approved for Kāpiti Expressway to Boost Travel Efficiency

"The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) publicly consulted on the proposed speed limit increase, with 93 percent of the 3,313 submissions received in support of the new 110km/h speed limit," Brown noted.

A new 110km/h speed limit has been approved for the Kāpiti Expressway, part of the Road of National Significance (RoNS) project, in a move aimed at reducing travel times and increasing efficiency for those traveling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today.

"Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy," said Brown. "Today’s confirmation of a 110km/h speed limit on this key RoNS will result in reduced travel times and increased efficiency on the network."

The new speed limit will apply to 24.5 km of the state highway, from north of the Poplar Avenue at Raumati interchange to south of the Ōtaki northern interchange, and is expected to be operational by the end of November 2024.

The Kāpiti Expressway includes the Mackays to Peka Peka and Peka Peka to Ōtaki RoNS, which were initiated by the previous National Government and constructed to high safety standards. Notably, since the roads opened, there have been no fatalities in crashes, underscoring the safety of the design.

"The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) publicly consulted on the proposed speed limit increase, with 93 percent of the 3,313 submissions received in support of the new 110km/h speed limit," Brown noted.

The Government’s Accelerate NZ plan, which focuses on growing the economy, reducing travel times, and increasing productivity on the transport network, received overwhelming support from New Zealanders during the election, and the implementation of this speed limit is part of delivering on those commitments.

In addition to the Kāpiti Expressway, NZTA has opened public consultation on three other proposals for 110km/h speed limits on expressways across New Zealand, including the Northern Gateway Toll Road, Puhoi to Warkworth RoNS, and the Christchurch Southern Motorway RoNS.

For more details on the new speed limits and to review the consultation summary, visit www.nzta.govt.nz/kapitispeed.