Speed limit changes Linwood Road, Karaka Village

Everyone deserves to be safe on Auckland roads. To help improve safety on Linwood Road we are proposing three changes - a 50 km/h speed limit through Karaka Village and intersection speed zones at two busy turning locations to the east and west of the village.

About the project

Papakura is a growing area with a 25% population increase to over 72,000 people between 2018 and 2023. As Papakura expands, Karaka Village is also rapidly growing, with property development continuing over the coming years.

Growth in this area has increased traffic volumes along Linwood Road and a new roundabout has been installed at the intersection of Linwood Road, Dyke Road and Blackbridge Road to make turning into the residential streets here safer.

Linwood Road connects Papakura to Karaka Village and areas in the west, including Kingseat, Waiau Pa and Clarks Beach. Many farmers, rural residents and families use this road to do work and get places. The speed limit is 80 km/h.

A new bus route 379 for the area will operate along Linwood Road, through Karaka Village, from 19 April.

The proposed changes aim to improve safety in Karaka Village by introducing a speed limit consistent with other urban areas in Auckland. At the two busy intersections safety will be improved by temporarily reducing traffic speeds when a vehicle is waiting to turn from the side road.

Community consultation is open for six weeks from 17 April to 29 May 2026.

The changes we are proposing

This map shows the locations of the proposed changes:

Karaka Village – permanent 50km/h speed limit

To reflect the area’s change to a village environment with more residential streets, shops and people moving around outside vehicles, we propose setting the speed limit at 50 km/h on Linwood Road through Karaka Village, including nearby sections of Dyke Road and Blackbridge Road

Linwood Road

The speed limit is currently 80 km/h, and we propose reducing this to 50 km/h from just west of Rosewood Lane, through the roundabout to the eastern end of the sports ground.

Dyke Road

The speed limit is currently 60 km/h and we propose reducing this to 50 km/h from just north of Karaka Village Parade to the roundabout.

Blackbridge Road

The speed limit is currently 80 km/h and we propose changing this to 50 km/h from just south of the sports ground to the roundabout

Image: Karaka Village speed limit map

Intersection speed zones

To improve safety for turning vehicles at two busy intersections on Linwood Road, we propose installing intersection speed zones. These are electronic speed limit signs that turn on to show 60km/h when there is a vehicle waiting to turn out of one of the side roads. They work by alerting drivers to a turning vehicle and slowing traffic on the main road from 80km/h to 60km/h which gives vehicles on the side road more time to turn safely. Lowering speeds at the intersection helps reduce both the number of crashes and how serious they are.

The electronic speed signs are proposed to be installed on Linwood Road at the intersections of -

• Laing Road and Charles Road, to the west of Karaka Village, and
• Walters Road, to the east of Karaka Village

Image: intersection speed zone Linwood Road, Charles Road and Laing Road intersection

Image: intersection speed zone Linwood Road and Walters Road intersection

Benefits of this project:

Everyone deserves to be safe on Auckland roads. The benefits of this proposal include:

• Enhanced safety for vehicles turning in and out of side roads and driveways
• Enhanced safety for people who are moving around to catch a bus or go to the shops in a residential village
• A speed limit consistent with other residential areas in Auckland
• A reduction in crashes and near misses at intersections
• More time for vehicles to make safer turns at busy intersections

Cost benefit disclosure statement:

The government's Land Transport Rule - Setting of Speed Limit Rule 2024 requires us to complete a cost benefit disclosure statement for the proposed speed limit changes. This sets out the expected impact of the speed limit changes on safety and travel times, and the expected implementation cost.

The proposed reductions are expected to -

Karaka Village

• lower the average speed on this stretch of Linwood Road from 56 km/h to 52 km/h
• cause a less than 5-second travel time increase
• incur an implementation cost of $15,000

See the full report at the top of the page.

Linwood (west), Charles, Laing intersection

• lower the average speed through the intersection (when the signs are on) from 74 km/h to 68 km/h
• cause a 1.3 second travel time increase
• incur an implementation cost of $112,500

Linwood (east), Walters intersection

• lower the average speed through the intersection (when the signs are on) from 66 km/h to 60 km/h
• cause a 2-second travel time increase
• incur an implementation cost of $97,5000

See the full report at the top of the page.

What happens next?

• Community consultation is open for six weeks until 29 May 2026.
• We will consider all community feedback and present a recommendation and feedback report to Franklin Local Board
• Franklin Local Board will provide feedback prior to a final decision being made

How to contact us

We welcome you to share your thoughts with us by 29 May 2026, please email us at ATengagement@at.govt.nz