State Highway 23 (New Zealand)

State Highway 23 (SH 23) is a New Zealand state highway that connects the towns of Raglan and Hamilton.[1]

State Highway 23
Route information
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency
Length42.7 km (26.5 mi)
Major junctions
East end SH 1 at Dinsdale, Hamilton[1]
West endRaglan[1]
Highway system
← SH 22→ SH 24

Route

SH 23 commences in the Hamilton suburb of Frankton at the intersection of Massey Street and SH 1 (Lincoln Street, Greenwood Street). It travels west down Massey Street, changing to Whatawhata Road after a six-leg roundabout in the suburb of Dinsdale. After exiting Hamilton, and reaching the town of Whatawhata it shares a brief concurrency of the north–south SH 39 and crosses the Waipa River. It then continues west over the summit to the Waitetuna valley, through Te Uku and over tributaries of the Whaingaroa Harbour, all the way to Raglan where it terminates on Main Road on the approach to the township.[2]

Traffic flows

Average annual daily traffic records taken by the NZ Transport Agency measures the volume of traffic is measured at roughly 13000 vehicles per day near the eastern terminus while at km 32 closer to Raglan the AADT is measured at roughly 4500 vehicles per day.[3] SH 23 is classified by the NZTA as a primary collector highway as per the One Network Road Classification.[4]

Traffic roughly quadrupled over the period 1975 to 2018, as shown in this table and the graph derived from it.

Location 1975[5] 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986[6] 1987 1988[7] 1989[8] 1990[9] 1991[10] 1992[11] 1993[12] 1994[13] 1995 1996 1997 1998[14] 1999[15] 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004[16] 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009[17] 2010 2011 2012 2013[18] 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018[19]
20m West of Hawk St 12930 12260 12610 12480 12419 12512 13004 12931 11414 10967 10898 11459 11190 11360 11805 12257 12851 13004
40m East of Newcastle Rd, Dinsdale 3130 3050 5720 9760 9730 9450 10000 10220 10365 9720 11001 10360 10389 10696 10037 10402 10842 10711 11008 11928 11854 12676
880m East of Kakaramea Rd, Whatawhata 1700 1650 1800 1290 1320 1660 2370 2450 2750 3190 2100 3000 3100 3650 3700 3970 4380 4380 4650 4710 4980 5060 4968 4995 5110 4642 4893 5355 4745 5301 4995 5621 5743 6274 6370 6396
200m West of Maori Point Rd, Whatawhata 4720 5270 5340 5640 5910 5771 5918 6284 6048 6328 6452 6786 6235 6013 6429 6350 7522 7525 7393
90m East of Wrights Rd, near Te Uku 1070 1030 830 1100 1100 980 1000 1050 2250 1070 1480 1520 1760 1750 1600 1670 1900 2350 2450 2710 2850 2910 3050 2990 3560 3578 3517 3662 3463 3713 3731 3508 3745 3655 3628 4102 4758 4775 4238
SH23 summit, logging truck, Waitetuna valley and Mt Karioi from Karamu Walkway

Route changes

When SH 1 used to run through the Hamilton CBD, SH 23 began at the intersection of Mill Street and Ulster Street. When SH 1 was diverted westwards away from the CBD SH 23 was shortened to where its eastern terminus currently lies.

Speed limits

80 km/h (50 mph) limits apply at Whatawhata (extended westwards in 2012)[20] and Te Uku (introduced in 2012).[21]

Hamilton-Raglan bus descending from 194 m (636 ft)[22] summit. The road descends to 100 m (330 ft) in just over 1 km (0.62 mi).

Safety

In the decade to 2016 there were 10 deaths and 64 serious injuries on SH23.[23] 30% hit a roadside hazard, 40% hit an oncoming vehicle, 25% were at junctions, 47% involved alcohol and 48% driving too fast.[24] Work by the Safe Roads Alliance in 2016/17[23] on 2 of the 3 sections of road is estimated to cost $13.2m.[25]

Public transport

A public bus service which traverses the length of SH 23 is provided by Waikato Regional Council.[26]

History

The road was gazetted a State Highway in 1961. In the same year tar-sealing of the road was completed.[27] Prior to that, metalling had been completed in 1921.[28]

Until 1863 the route was only passable on foot.[29] By 1864, as part of the invasion of the Waikato, about six bridges were built to make it passable for pack horses.[30] Conversion to a road began in 1878[31] and the first stage coach ran in March 1880,[32] though the bridge over the Waipa wasn't started until late in 1880.[33] Metalling of the road began after a poll in 1907[34] and deviations were built to shorten the route,[35] including that over the summit, bypassing what is now Old Mountain Road, which was passable by 1912.[36]

Major intersections
Territorial authorityLocationkmjctDestinationsNotes
Hamilton CityHamilton SH 1 north – Auckland
Massey Hall Overbridge – City Centre
SH 1 south – Taupo		SH 23 begins
Killarney Road
Tuhikaramea Road – Temple View
Dinsdale Road
Waikato DistrictWhatawhata SH 39 south – Pirongia, OtorohangaStaggered T-junction
SH 39 north – Ngāruawāhia
Te Pahu Road – Karamu, Te Pahu
Waitetuna Valley Road – Waitetuna
Ohautira Road – WaingaroFormerly SH 22
Te Mata Road – Te Mata, Kawhia
RaglanManukau RoadSH 23 ends
Road continues as Main Road

See also

References
  1. "Highway Route 23: The Road to Raglan". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  2. State Highway 23 on Google Maps
  3. "State Highway AADT booklet 2014–2018" (PDF). NZ Transport Agency. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  4. "One Network Road Classification: North Island State Highways" (PDF). New Zealand Transport Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  5. "SH Traffic Volumes 1975-1984" (PDF).
  6. "SH Traffic Volumes 1986" (PDF).
  7. "SH Traffic Volumes 1988" (PDF).
  8. "SH Traffic Volumes 1989" (PDF).
  9. "SH Traffic Volumes 1990" (PDF).
  10. "SH Traffic Volumes 1991" (PDF).
  11. "SH Traffic Volumes 1992" (PDF).
  12. "SH Traffic Volumes 1993" (PDF).
  13. "SH Traffic Volumes 1994" (PDF).
  14. "SH Traffic Volumes 1997" (PDF).
  15. "SH Traffic Volumes 1999" (PDF).
  16. "SH Traffic Volumes 2000-2004" (PDF).
  17. "SH Traffic Volumes 2005-2009" (PDF).
  18. "SH Traffic Volumes 2009-2013" (PDF).
  19. "SH Traffic Volumes 2014-2018" (PDF).
  20. "Waikato Region speed limit changes | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  21. "Trial aims for safer speeds around rural schools | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  22. "Highway Information Sheet 023-0032" (PDF). Auckland Motorways. 2015.
  23. "SH23 Hamilton to Raglan – Safety Improvements Information sheet" (PDF). Safe Roads Alliance. 1 August 2016.
  24. "State Highway 23 – Hamilton to Raglan – Safety Improvements" (PDF). Safe Roads Alliance.
  25. "SH23 Hamilton to Raglan | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  26. "23 Raglan". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  27. CW Vennell & Susan Williams: Raglan County Hills and Sea 1876–1976 p. 179
  28. "RAGLAN BY THE SEA (Waikato Times, 1921-04-28)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  29. "MAORI REPORT OF THE SPEECHES AT THE MEETING AT PERIA. PRESS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 January 1863. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  30. "DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS, THE FRONT". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 January 1864. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  31. "Waikato Times, The Raglan Road". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 June 1878. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  32. "Arrival of the Alabama Coach from Hamilton". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 March 1880. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  33. "Waikato Times, The Raglan Road". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 October 1880. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  34. "Waikato Argus, Raglan". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 20 November 1907. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  35. "Waikato Argus, Raglan News". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 March 1908. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  36. "Waikato Argus, DISTRICT NEWS RAGLAN". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 June 1912. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
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