30 August, 2024

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has begun work this week on a second, northbound Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre (CVSC) at Rakaia in Mid-Canterbury. 

The southbound Centre opened earlier this winter, operated by the Police. 

The northbound Centre will be on the corner of SH1 and Weavers Road and is due to be completed late in 2025. 

“This location will also include an Intersection Speed Zone to warn drivers on SH1 when a vehicle is approaching from Weavers Road and show 60km/h as the speed limit at those times. This will give drivers exiting the northbound site more time to make their turn safely,” says Sean Bridge, NZTA Programme Manager. 

The work to install the Intersection Speed Zone will require some disruption to traffic around this site from the end of September for about two months. Traffic will be detoured onto North Rakaia Road and South Two Chain Road to access Weavers Road, rather than direct from SH1. 

There may also be shoulder closures on both sides of Weavers Road and on SH1 as this work develops with a lower speed limit posted around the site. 

How is the southbound CVSC going?

The southbound CVSC has been running smoothly since it opened earlier this year, says NZTA. On the first day of operation Police issued one driver’s truck a pink sticker indicating it was not fit to be on the road. In July, close to 700 vehicles were screened daily, around one heavy vehicle every two minutes. Of more than 21,000 heavy vehicles screened at Rakaia in July, 1493 were found to be potentially non-compliant. 

Detour route for Weavers Road, SH1, traffic later in September:

 The full site map: 

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