Drivers' lives get easier at Pakuranga bottlenecks

East Auckland's long-awaited $1.3 billion package of transport improvements is taking baby steps with the completion of work to reduce traffic bottlenecks in Pakuranga. Photo / David White

East Auckland's long-awaited $1.3 billion package of transport improvements is taking baby steps with the completion of work to reduce traffic bottlenecks in Pakuranga.

Longer turning and receiving lanes at the Pakuranga end of the South Eastern Highway will this week become the first work to be completed on the grandly titled Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (Ameti), which will ultimately include new roads, bridges, bus lanes and walking and cycling paths.

Left-turning traffic lanes coming off the highway towards Ti Rakau Drive have been lengthened by 300m to improve capacity and reduce congestion at what is one of Auckland's busiest intersections. A lane taking westbound traffic on to the highway from Ti Rakau Rd has been similarly lengthened, with the aim of allowing drivers to build up to speed before hopefully "seamlessly" merging with other vehicles.

Auckland Transport yesterday described the intersection improvements as interim works to help to tackle congestion until longer-term big projects around Pakuranga could begin.

"There are significant projects planned for the future in this area but these interim works will reduce queuing at the intersection," said major projects manager Rick Walden.

Howick Local Board chairman Michael Williams welcomed the improvements which have been on the drawing board since 2005 and have been a source of frustration for Auckland Transport's directors.

Concepts for a two-lane busway to run between Panmure and Pakuranga, and also towards Botany along Ti Rakau Drive, are meanwhile being developed further after being presented to residents at an open day late last year.

Auckland Transport will also hold an open day in Panmure on April 9 to outline plans for about $200 million of projects including a new four-lane road to Glen Innes, the replacement of the suburb's large and challenging roundabout with a signalised intersection, and an upgrade to its railway station.

Construction work around the existing Ellerslie-Panmure Highway, beneath which the new road will run through a trench, is expected to start next year and the roundabout is due to be replaced in 2015 or 2016.

Members of the council-controlled transport organisation's board raised concern about slow progress on Ameti at their December meeting, with chairman Mark Ford saying suburbs east of the Tamaki River were "totally disenfranchised" in terms of reliable transport.

Open Day, 10am-1pm, April 9, at the Panmure Community Hall.