Get moving: Motorway distance signs measured to centre of city

Recently when driving north on the Southern Motorway I noticed a sign saying, "Auckland 31km". Where is this distance measured from? Is there a policy for such distance signs? Margaret Price, Drury.

Distances are measured from the sign to the "recognised centre" of each destination. In days gone by, this was traditionally the post office, but in the 1980s the Lange Government closed many of these, creating something of a dilemma. In Auckland the measurement point is now the motorway offramp closest to the CBD, which gives motorists an idea of how much further they have to go. For example, the distance sign you mention is near the Papakura offramp and is measured to the end of the Nelson St offramp.

How will the new State Highway 20 cross Dominion Rd Extension? A bridge, a tunnel or straight across with lights? Will Dominion Rd be closed during the highway construction? Bill Lowrie, Hillsborough.

There will be a bridge taking Dominion Rd over the new highway, with onramps and offramps and traffic lights to manage the merging of local and motorway traffic. Dominion Rd cannot be closed during the building of the motorway because it is an important arterial road. Instead, traffic will be diverted around the construction site in a sort of bow shape, and work on this bypass is due to start next month.

I have received a flyer from the North Shore City Council saying that vehicles with three or more people are able to use bus lanes. I notice signs on Constellation Drive but not on the motorway. What is the story? Anthony Benson, Browns Bay.

Local city councils can make decisions about high-occupancy vehicle lanes in their area, and on the North Shore there are similar lanes in Forrest Hill Rd and Shakespeare Rd. However, the motorways are the domain of Transit NZ, and only buses may use bus lanes there.