Marlborough District Council Roading Assets - Activity Management Plan 2015 - 2018 SECTION 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Road Network Roading Network State Highway network 260 kilometres Local roads: 1,526 kilometres 41.9% of local roads unsealed Roading Network Functioning Levels of service generally good Localised congestion points at Blenheim during peak commuter traffic Road Safety 293 crashes reported July 2013 – June 2014 95 injury crashes reported Private Vehicles 94% of households have access to at least one car 61% of the workforce travel to work in a car Travel Statistics and Fuel Usage 436.4 million kilometres travelled annually 85.2% of travel by car 12.3% of travel by heavy vehicles 1.4.2.1 Strategic Issues The land transport network allows for the movement of freight and visitors, both of which are essential to our economic well-being. Access and/or mobility restrictions can impact on an individual’s, or a community’s, ability to participate in commerce and any other activities. All of the Region’s land transport needs, including roads, rail, public transport, cycling, walking, and the movement of freight are components of a transport network. Consideration is also given to the interface between port, airport and other public transport facilities for the movement of people, vehicles and freight. As with the last 3 to 5 years, development pressure in Marlborough over the next few decades will result in continued change in its land transport system. The Marlborough Regional Land Transport Committee have determined the vision for the Marlborough RLTS to be: To plan a safe and responsive land transport system that facilitates Marlborough’s community well-being. Tourism is predicted to continue as a growth industry, the marine farming industry may expand with legislative change, forest harvests are predicted to increase, although the timing of this increase will be influenced by economic factors, and although grape growing in conjunction with wine production has experienced challenges in the past years it is at this stage predicted to continue to grow. The major population centre is Blenheim with the townships of Picton (including Waikawa), Renwick, Havelock and Seddon servicing the rural areas. The Blenheim area continues to provide the most complex transport system in the Region, requiring a higher level of traffic management. The routing of State highway traffic through Blenheim requires an ongoing policy framework that pays careful attention to safety on local roads and intersections. The key road features around Blenheim are shown in Figure 4.2. Future residential growth is expected to be principally to the northwest and west of Blenheim. Regional growth presents a number of challenges for the provision of land transport, including; conflict between local and through traffic and, management of heavy through traffic. All Heavy Commercial traffic entering and exiting the South Island are travelling on these routes, particularly State Highway 1 between Blenheim and Picton. 30 September 2014 Page 14 of Section 1