KEY POINTS:
Would it be possible to have the timing changed on the Northcross traffic lights? The traffic moving south into Oteha Valley Rd backs up to Glamorgan Rd. Mid-morning it takes about four changes of the lights to get anywhere near turning. The lights let only three cars through at a time. People get annoyed, pull out to the lanes going straight ahead down East Coast Rd and do a u-turn on the other side across the traffic trying to travel north. Before there is an accident, could the traffic lights be altered?
Ann Price, Torbay.
Get Moving forwarded your query to North Shore City Council, which promptly sent out a traffic engineer to look at this intersection and monitor the right turn.
The engineer found that the right turn gets 40 per cent of the cycle time for these lights, which equates to about 48 seconds. This should be enough time for at least 20 cars to get through.
On Constellation Drive there is a T3 transit lane (so called because private vehicles using them must have at least three occupants) in each direction. Am I right in thinking that, as with any other transit lane that has hours specified, outside of these hours anyone can use them?
Andrew.
Most people seem to think that these lanes are not to be used outside the specified hours. Transit lanes revert to normal use outside operating hours.
During the operating hours (6.30am-9am and 4pm-6pm) these lanes are restricted to buses, other vehicles with three or more people, cycles, motorbikes and taxis. At other times any vehicle can use them as a normal lane, including parking where parking is allowed.
With the impending closure of the clip-on lanes to heavy vehicles on the harbour bridge, reflectors should be put on the concrete abutment near the top of the bridge which divides the main section and clip-on section. Many trucks, especially out-of-towners heading north in the dark, think the gap between the bridge girders and barrier too narrow, go to drive across to the clip-on and get straddled on the abutment, causing delay until towed off. Also, the concrete barriers on the Southern Motorway need reflectors as they are extremely hard to see on wet nights. Any plans to install reflectors?
Sarron Bennett, Manurewa.
A new bylaw will be coming into effect on July 19 to restrict trucks over 13 tonnes from using the far outer clip-on lanes of the harbour bridge. Overweight vehicles should continue to use the inner clip-on lane (lane 2) and centre lanes when crossing the bridge. This is part of an effort to look after the bridge and minimise future closures for maintenance.
Transit is planning to upgrade the painted medians on the bridge. New reflective kerbing and bright red chip with long-life reflectors are also being considered to improve safety.
A search is on for a more effective cleaning product to maintain the appearance of concrete and steel motorway barriers, thus increasing visibility.
On the Southern Motorway, there are expensive-looking flashing over-height warning signs on the Penrose Rd overbridge. I often see them flashing for no apparent reason and any truck approaching passes under the bridge without a problem. What are the truck drivers supposed to do when they see these warning lights?
Richard Hall, Greenlane.
The signs are triggered by vehicles that are over the legal height. The sensors that activate the overhead signs are frequently monitored to ensure that they are accurately measuring vehicles.
A vehicle that triggers the sign may not necessarily strike the bridge for two reasons: the driver leaves the motorway before the bridge or the vehicle is over the legal height but still lower than the bridge.
At present the bus lanes on Mt Eden and Dominion Rds are active during the evening only between 4pm and 6pm. However, many people do not finish work until 5.30pm or 6pm, and many lectures at the university end around the same time. Are there plans to extend bus lane times?
Craig Farndale.
The council is extending bus lane times across the city and the bus lanes in the CBD already operate for longer in peak times. Bus lanes are being adjusted according to demand and the council will look at the bus lanes on Mt Eden Rd.