Work on a Whangarei highway travelled by more than 19,000 cars each day is a "growing pain" but will improve safety at a busy intersection, officials say.
The installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Hospital and Maunu Rds (State Highway 14) is under way, with work to continue until March 2017.
It will include extending the cycle lanes which run from Maunu to Silverstream Rd past the Hospital Rd intersection.
The painted median strip will be extended along Maunu Rd from the hospital to connect with the existing painted median near Silverstream Rd. On-street parking along this section of the highway will be removed.
The changes were expected to help access in and out of the hospital's main public barrier-arm carpark, due to the extension of the median and installation of a right-turn bay in to the carpark.