SH1 Lights To Be Changed To Protect Town's Birds

Thursday, 20 March 2025, 9:43 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

The country's roading authority is to turn down the lights in Kaikōura.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will begin replacing the old-style sodium lights along State Highway 1, between Killarney Street and Mill Road, with LED lights from next month.

The announcement follows the district's international dark sky sanctuary accreditation, which was announced by Dark Sky International in September last year.

The motivation behind the dark sky status bid was to protect the endangered Hutton's shearwater birds / tītī, as the birds regularly crash land in the town after becoming disorientated by street lights.

NZTA has commissioned MainPower and its subcontractor Power Jointing to replace the old lights with energy efficient lights and shades.

''The new lighting system will improve vision at night for people walking along the road and drivers, by directing light downwards towards the ground, and containing the spill,'' NZTA acting director regional relationships Ian Duncan said.

''And it should make it less likely the incoming seabirds will get disoriented and end up in danger on the highway.''

Kaikōura District Council chief executive Will Doughty said he was pleased to see the work finally under way.

''It will make a big difference to the district in terms of both assisting to protect our night sky as well as multiple environmental benefits.''

NZTA also plans to replace lights at the SH1 intersections with Rakanui Road (near Peketa), the Ocean Ridge Boulevard south of the town, at Kanuka Lane, Hāpuku, and at Mangamaunu.

Stage one, beginning early next month, will involve upgrading the lights on SH1 between Killarney Street, South Bay, and Beach Road.

The main part of the project, beginning mid-year, will involve trenching for new cables and replacing poles and lights.

This work will require an archaeological assessment, and NZTA will be working alongside the Takahanga Marae.

The Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust is preparing a separate application for international dark community status for the town and peninsula.

The trust was founded with seed funding from the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery alliance, which included NZTA, as a legacy project from the recovery work following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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