Automated traffic lights will be used instead of road workers holding stop/go signs in Northland over the coming months in a bid to keep staff safe from abusive motorists.

Waka Kotahi’s changes in its traffic management practices come during the government roading agency’s largest-ever road renewal season, which will mean delays and disruption across the state highway network throughout summer.

Waka Kotahi maintenance and operations regional manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult said a mixture of traffic signal devices and traffic control workers will be used across the region.

“Unfortunately, verbal and physical abuse is a daily occurrence for road workers on some sites in Northland,” she said.

“Sometimes this abuse is more serious and the safety of workers is jeopardised.

“Abuse of our crews is not acceptable and serious incidents are reported to the police.

“We want all of our people on our network to go home each night to their loved ones and ask motorists to please respect our crews while we carry out this essential work.”

The changes follow incidents of violence and abuse toward staff working on Kerikeri Rd, where the road is being rebuilt and resurfaced from outside the Old Packhouse Market to the Maraenui Rd intersection.

Police were called on October 25 after irate motorists threw road cones at workers and drove through the closed-off section of road.

Frontline workers have also copped insults and abuse, prompting calls for patience while the $1.2 million project is being carried out.

This year Northland has experienced one of its wettest winters, which has impacted the state highway network, and extensive pavement and surfacing work is needed.

The Northland regional programme includes 133 lane kilometres of chip seal, 15 lane kilometres of resealing and 10 lane kilometres of rehabilitation.

Another 27 lane kilometres will be treated for skid resistance.

Over the past month, more than 9 lane kilometres have already been resealed and 11,500sq m of isolated patches of state highway have been completed, repairing the underlying road structure ahead of resealing later in the season.

The level of maintenance works being planned was “an immense job”, Hori-Hault said.

Travellers should expect “regular and ongoing disruption across the region”, she said.

“Because our contractors will be delivering work during the warmer, drier months of the year, it’ll mean some level of disruption across the state highway network throughout summer.

“However, plans will be in place to complete this work as efficiently and effectively as possible, minimising the overall impact on people using the roads.

“We realise delays due to roadworks may be frustrating – but the temporary speed limits and detours are in place to keep road users and our workers safe.”

Lane kilometres are used to show the full scale of work being completed, and the measurement is more accurate than lineal metres as some sections of road being renewed will have passing lanes or dual carriageway.

Waka Kotahi recommends motorists use the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner before starting their journey.

Visit www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz