Unnessacary Speed Reduction

[AWD Chaser]

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/newsevents...ewengland.html

New England Highway speed limit changes between Hexham and Branxton

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is advising motorists of changes to speed limits on the New England Highway in the next two weeks.
An RMS spokesperson said RMS carried out a review of the highway between Hexham and Branxton as part of the Top 100 audit of speed zones.
“The review assessed a number of factors including road environment, traffic characteristics and crash data,” the spokesperson said.
“As a result of the review the existing 80km/h speed limit between Hexham and Tarro will be extended west by 1.4 kilometres to improve safety for motorists.
“The highway’s three kilometre 70km/h speed limit through East Maitland will be reduced to 60km/h. This speed limit change reflects the number of crashes, intersections, driveways and pedestrians in the area. The reduction is expected to provide road safety benefits to both residents and motorists.
“The 60km/h speed limit at the Church Street roundabout in Maitland will be extended by 60 metres for westbound traffic to improve safety when exiting the roundabout. In addition a sign will be installed at the roundabout to advise motorists it is an ‘at risk’ location due to community safety concerns.
“Between Rutherford and Lochinvar the 3.18 kilometre long 90km/h speed limit will be reduced to 80km/h to better reflect recent roadside development and crash history.
“The changes will provide more consistency in speed limits and will improve safety for road users.
“Motorists are reminded to drive carefully and pay extra attention during the transition period,” the spokesperson said.
Electronic message signs will be in place a week before the new speed zone signs are installed to advise motorists of the change.
These message signs will remain in place for at least a week after the speed limit change.
RMS expects the new speed limit signs to be installed from 12 July, weather permitting.
Members of the community can sign up at the Safer Roads NSW website to receive updates about changes to permanent speed limits in their nominated area and have their say on speed limits.

I dont see why they reduce the 90kph zone to 80, but keep it 90kph at the right light merge of the F3 where all the accidents happen!

[Luke Plaizier]

Well, the 90 to 80 reduction at the Rail Overpass at Beresfield is probably warranted. There have been a number of crashes in the last few years there, mainly in the wet, and mainly when losing control around that main bend. You don't notice it so much while in the car, but when you parkand walk, or lookat it from a train carriage, there must be about a 30 degree banking on that corner - it's a seriously Nascaresque.

The 90 to 80 at Lochinvar - there's a T-Intersection onto that road at Windella, and Windella keeps growing and growing. There is more land set for release there. That intersection is a bit of a death trap. Dropping to 80 might help, but I reckon it won't be long before we see 70 there.

As for the 70 to 60 reduction through east maitland. That's pointless. It's mostly bumper to bumper stop start through there anyway. Just as it is all the way through Maitland.

The sooner that Hunter Expressway is built the better. The amount of traffic funnelling through Maitland and banking either past the Aerodrome on the west side or back over the hill to Ashtonfield on the east side makes the F3 look like an open parkland. All Coast-to-Mine traffic that the Expressway is designed to carry. I reckon that highway will cut 30mins at least out of any commute through the valley on a typical day.


Lukeyson

[Yellow_Festiva]

Nothing really makes sense when it comes to 'speed' and 'speeding'.. seen some shocker sign placement as well.

I just did the drive from Lithgow to Richmond via Bells Line of road and on at least 2-3 occasions you see a 65 sign for a bend 200m from the bend, then an 80 sign (the usual limit) 100m before the bend....

Seen similar on the Ocean road as well....

Still questioning why King Georges rd - which is 3 lanes each way for quite a distance has gone from 70 to 60....

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Still questioning why King Georges rd - which is 3 lanes each way for quite a distance has gone from 70 to 60....

The answer should be at the RMS website, or NSW Transport, in one of the review outcomes.

If I can find it - I'll link.

[new2ford]

They should put RMS in charge of German motorways to see how they go at managing traffic volumes beside which the F3 etc is peanuts - at a nominal speed limit of 130 km/h and many doing up to 220 km/h. "Strangely" though the per capita accident rate would probably be lower in Germany. Well not strange at all actually, quite logical when thought (rather than knee-jerk impulse) is applied to the reasoning.

[naddis01]

I am quite pleased with the recent speed limit reviews as the section of the Sturt Highway that I use every day has increased in speed from 100 to 110 which is quite sensible considering the road is flat, wide and relatively straight.

[Ben73]

I agree with extension of the 80 zone near Tarro.
That bend is pretty sharp.

I'm not liking the reduction of 70 to 60 through East Maitland.
During the day there is so much traffic you sit on 50 -60.
But in the middle of the night 60 feels way to slow for that bit of road.

I have mixed feelings about 80 between Rutherford and Lochinvar.
The 60 extention Betwen Branxton and Greta is rediclousl.
It's due to "road work" but all the work is being done off the side of teh road in the paddock.
There is no one working 23.5 hours a day. The 60 is way to slow.

I drive the New England Highway up to 5 days a week. Often during the middle of the night or at least off peak.
It's the slowest and most boring piece of road I have ever been on.

Bring on the Express way. I cant wait to see the back of that so called 'highway' Our cars show and average speed of about 55-60. No highway should average that slow.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by naddis01

I am quite pleased with the recent speed limit reviews as the section of the Sturt Highway that I use every day has increased in speed from 100 to 110 which is quite sensible considering the road is flat, wide and relatively straight.

You're lucky. If that's only a 2 lane road the limit wouldn't be that high in Europe. However spare a thought for us on the south coast who have a top standard motorway limited to 100. It would be good to see the motorway sections of the Hume and Princes lifted to a sensible 130 but I guess that would affect state revenue and they wouldn't be able to attribute boredom accidents from highway hypnosis and microsleeps to "dangerous" speeding.

[naddis01]

Yeah its only a 2 lane road. It is basically an extension of about 25-30km of the existing 110 zone that crosses the Hay Plains.

[AWD Chaser]

Might I just add to this old thread - less then 30 days after the speed reduction over the railway bridge there is a fatality... Maybe speed alone isnt the problem

[cobramania]

Originally Posted by AWD Chaser

Might I just add to this old thread - less then 30 days after the speed reduction over the railway bridge there is a fatality... Maybe speed alone isnt the problem

No they'll just see it as they haven't reduced it enough.

I don't know any of the accident details, & this may sound strange, but may it be possible the reduction in speed actually had anything to do with it?
People misjudging distances of cars traveling at slower speeds, & taking a risk that they'll make it, pulling out of an intersection are far more common than you think, I've even emailed the roads minister about the dangers, through my own experience & observations, (people crossing the road in front of slower moving cars is another big misjudge danger).

Was it heading towards Maitland near the intersection just after the bridge/bend?

Edit: Doesn't matter, I've looked it up, it was a cyclist that was killed, back to my first comment, maybe if they reduced it to 60 or 50k's the cyclist may still be alive.
Very sorry for the friends & family.

[new2ford]

A cyclist is still going to be a casualty even if hit at 25 km/h so the answer is no, it wouldn't make a difference. One of the flaws in the speed limits save lives argument is that above certain speeds (depending on what you're riding in) the outcome is going to be fatal. The outcome of a head-on at 100 km/h is not going to be different from one at 160.

[cobramania]

Originally Posted by new2ford

A cyclist is still going to be a casualty even if hit at 25 km/h so the answer is no, it wouldn't make a difference. One of the flaws in the speed limits save lives argument is that above certain speeds (depending on what you're riding in) the outcome is going to be fatal. The outcome of a head-on at 100 km/h is not going to be different from one at 160.

Exactly.
I was being sarcastic about the reducing to 50k's & a cyclist surviving, but that's the mentality of the roads ministers & state roads departments over here at the moment, speed is the fault of everything, slow everyone down & it'll all be OK, (no more fatalities). Ignore the fact that speed isn't the contributing factor in the majority of accidents.

This particular part of the road is a 4 lane divided hwy, as it goes around the corner & over the railway bridge, their is a concrete crash barrier in the centre of the road between opposing direction lanes, so they're not head ons.
I remember one a few years back, a guy changed lanes, obviously without looking & went under the dog trailer of a truck, how can you stop things like that, or believe they will stop, by reducing the speed limit?

There's also plans to make suburban streets 30kph zones to make the roads safer over here too.

[XR6T0Y]

I've been caught out (by myself) going through East Maitland and now it's only 60. Not going there very often, you don't see that it's changed because of the backlog of traffic going through there now. The fastest I can go in our area now is 80. It used to be 100. When it was 100, for the last 16 years we had been living where we are, not one accident has occured. Yet they still drop the limit 20k for NO reason. Along the highway outside Lochinvar is only 80 now. Was once 100- then 90- now 80.
Honestly, what is the point of having anything more than a 3 cyl car? It's only going to get worse. Now that they have dropped AGAIN, they aren't going to go back up.

[Mesa]

I rarely use the New England between Thornton and Maitland these days. If I'm going to Maitland I take the back road from Thornton. I wonder how much the traffic will reduce once the new bypass from Branxton is opened.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by naddis01

I am quite pleased with the recent speed limit reviews as the section of the Sturt Highway that I use every day has increased in speed from 100 to 110 which is quite sensible considering the road is flat, wide and relatively straight.

Use to do 100-140 on that road, legally.

[Ben73]

I drove past that fatality.
It was caused by **** road conditions not speed. More proof that the governments obsession with lowering speed and putting up cameras does nothing for real road safety.

I'm sure some 'expert' who is being paid under the table will say speed was a factor in the cyclists death.