Deadly Auckland highway to get much-needed safety improvements

Wednesday, 21 November 2018

Johnny Danger Bennett died in a motorbike accident on Dairy Flat Highway on Anzac Day.

A stretch of Auckland highway that has claimed the lives of nine people, including social media star Johnny 'Danger' Bennett, since 2008 will receive major safety improvements.

Among the changes Auckland Transport will make to Dairy Flat Highway are reducing the speed limit from 100kmh to 80kmh and building a new roundabout at a notoriously dangerous intersection .

Many of the crashes, which have seriously injured 55 people in the last 10 years, happened at the Coatesville-Riverhead/Dairy Flat Highway intersection, where the new roundabout will be built.

Other improvements to the road will include new right turn bays, centre median safety barriers, side barriers and intersection upgrades.

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Social media star Johnny Bennett was on of many fatalities on the stretch of road.

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Speeds will also be reduced at different sections of the highway to help create safer and more consistent speeds.

Rodney Local Board's Louise Johnston is pleased Auckland Transport are committing to safety improvements on the road.

The 100kmh speed limit will be changed to 80kmh and a new speed limit of 60kmh will be put in place around Dairy Flat village.

Social media star Johnny Danger Bennett died on the stretch of road earlier this year in a motorbike crash.

His motorbike was found 15-20 metres off the road, about 50 metres from the intersection with Hobson Road in a ditch covered with long grass and scattered bushes.

North Auckland residents have been begging AT to review the road they call 'deadly Flat Highway,' for months.

AT's Group Manager Network Management and Safety Randhir Karma said the safety improvements would make a big difference.

'We have to reduce the number of people that are being killed or seriously injured on our roads. The Dairy Flat Highway safety improvements will go a long way to addressing these issues, as well as making it easier and safer to travel along the highway.'

Rodney Local Board member Louise Johnston also welcomed the improvements and said she believed they would save lives.

'Lots of members of the community have a horror story to tell about Dairy Flat Highway, this cannot come soon enough.'

Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2019.