No State Highway Name Changes Planned in the Far North

A proposal to switch the names of State Highways 1 and 10 in the Far North will not proceed further.

The New Zealand Transport Agency has confirmed it has no intention of progressing the matter.

The idea had its origins in a draft Northland Regional Land Transport Strategy which looked at swapping the names of the two highways in the sections between Pakaraka and Awanui (currently State Highway 10) and Ohaeawai and Awanui (currently State Highway 1).

The aim was to improve the funding stream for the current State Highway 10 section of this highway to better reflect traffic flows and improve the chances of the agency replacing one-lane bridges at Kaeo and Taipa.

But the initiative stalled when the agency made it clear its policy was to target funds at roads with high traffic volumes regardless of whether they were part of the State Highway 1 network.

There was also strong opposition to the name changes from businesses and residents along both sections of state highway affected by the name swap.

"The debate which ensued has caught the attention of relevant roading and funding agencies and has helped emphasise our concerns to see adequate funding allocated to the state highway network in the Far North," council spokesman Richard Edmondson says.