Coming into the city from the south, between the Market Rd overbridge and Newmarket Viaduct, there is an area of land on the left of the motorway that has been left to go to seed. There are weeds taller than my car, all manner of trees in various states of shabbiness and bamboo that if left any longer will be growing on the motorway! Are there any plans to tidy this area up in keeping with the excellent look and feel being created just a little further down the motorway? Ollie Yule, Auckland.
The Auckland Motorway Alliance, which is responsible to the NZ Transport Agency for maintaining the city's motorway network, says it has been waiting for work on the Newmarket Viaduct replacement project to be completed before stepping in to clean up this site. The AMA plans to tackle the first stage - clearing the weeds - within the next month. More of the tidy-up will continue as the viaduct project winds up.
We travel SH30 regularly, and have been surprised to find permanent traffic lights installed beside a rocky cliff adjacent to the road, at Ruato Bay, beside Lake Rotoiti. There are signs about road works, and warnings about the lights, complemented by signs from the police thanking people for their understanding and patience. However, the only thing that appears to be working on this stretch of road is gravity. There are never any humans working on the road, or any signs that they may do so some time soon. Can you please tell us what the situation is here? Jan Wiles, Rotorua.
The temporary traffic lights are there for the safety of drivers until the cliff face can be permanently stabilised. This is not an easy fix. The Transport Agency is working to identify the best solution from several options - moving the highway from the cliff, cutting back more of the cliff, or using mesh and bolts to secure it. It is complex because of the topography of the cliff face, but also the project designers are required to recognise the cultural and historical significance of this area. The cliff is unlikely to be stabilised before the middle of the year, but in the meantime the one lane will remain in place and the lights will help manage the traffic flow.
