We would like to provide an update on the ‘Welcome to Featherston’ signs at the southern and northern entrances to Featherston on State Highway 2 (SH2).  

In 2020, the signs that had been erected at each of the entrances were taken down after safety concerns around their proximity to SH2. 

The concerns focused on the sign’s frangibility – which is how they would react if it was impacted by a vehicle. Council has since been liaising with NZTA on behalf of the Featherston Beautification Group (FBG) who are driving this initiative, to try resolve the issues and come to a solution to get the signs reinstated. This work has also involved the suppliers of the sign material and an engineer.   

The current situation focuses on the resource consent which proposes a new location to accommodate the southern sign, situated further back from SH2 with the Otauira Reserve fence having been moved to accommodate it. The resource consent has been submitted to NZTA and we are awaiting their decision which will be returned by mid-March. 

Alternative options that had been considered include moving the northern sign to an adjacent property, although this would reduce visibility of the sign and require discussions with the landowner.  Another option is a proprietary sign system and while this would meet safety concerns, it would significantly change the design.  

It is likely NZTA will be able to consider each sign separately on the consent and therefore give approval to one sign at a time instead of having a linked approval.  We are hopeful that the signs will be approved by NZTA so the FBG can proceed with the sign’s reinstatement.