Karāpiro School principal Tina-Maree Thatcher believes Waka Kotahi has listened to concerns spelled out in a 1000-plus word letter.
In June she told the agency the school, on the intersection of State Highway 1 and Karāpiro Rd, was looking to mitigate the risks for road users “and we cannot wait any longer for our serious concerns to be addressed”.
State Highway 1 was regarded as being so dangerous a bus stop was been moved from the highway to school grounds. The letter presented solution ideas.
In response, David Speirs, Waka Kotahi’s Waikato Bay of Plenty regional relationships director has listed a series of safety measures which are being carried out.
That included a temporary speed limit reduction. Flexible median barriers will be installed next year, he wrote.
He said planning for a new roundabout at Piarere was also well advanced and considerable maintenance work, including adding rumble strips and signs would start soon.
Thatcher said the response had been shared with the community and “as you can imagine, our staff, students and their families are incredibly relieved to know that our concerns have been heard”.
She said the initial letter sent in June had gone “far and wide” and came before recent tragedies on the road.
“I have been fighting this battle for the seven years I have been here at Karāpiro School.”
