Get ready for downtown traffic chaos

Roadworks on Quay Street. Photo / Glenn Jefffrey

Downtown Auckland faces months of traffic chaos from next Monday as Quay St is dug up again for more power supply and telecommunications upgrades, and a roading rebuild.

Although commuters from eastern suburbs will face the most misery, others will be affected by congestion through the central business district.

Heart of the City business association chief Alex Swney said it made sense for work to start during the Christmas break, while many of the city's 80,000 workers would be away. But similar disruption to Quay St two years ago was "a nightmare" and central Auckland would face a tough New Year.

First in on December 27 will be electricity lines company Vector, which will lay new cables and ducts for power supply and telecommunications in the second phase of a capacity upgrade which began in 2008.

Auckland Transport will follow closely, piggy-backing on Vector's presence to rebuild the main section of Quay St, west from Tangihua St, which it says has become "peppered" with short-term pothole repairs.

The two organisations expect to impose traffic restrictions along the busy waterfront road, which normally carries close to 30,000 vehicles a day, until late March or early April.

General traffic will be reduced from two lanes to one either way for one or two street blocks at a time, although the street's city-bound bus lane will stay open.

Electronic message boards along Tamaki Drive will encourage commuters to turn off at Ngapipi Rd or The Strand.

Pressure is likely to build for the bus lane to be opened to general traffic once commuters start returning to work on January 10.

Despite the length of the disruption, agency project manager Bob Cook says that by combining their efforts, the organisations will take up to six weeks off the overall time it would take to complete their work programmes separately.

Vector crews will work from 7am until 7pm over seven days a week, digging trenches for cables and ducting while also filling in a small services tunnel which was laid in the 1920s and has reached the end of its life.

As they burrow westward down Quay St, they will be followed by Auckland Transport contractors, who will dig up and then rebuild the road to a high enough standard to welcome Rugby World Cup visitors arriving on cruise ships at Queens Wharf.

That work will be done day and night by crews working in shifts.

Mr Cook said the $2.5 million rebuild was five years overdue, having been deferred to allow for construction projects such as the redevelopment of the Britomart precinct, and the Central Connector bus corridor.

"Its condition is such that sizeable sections of the road are peppered with short-term pothole repairs and the annual maintenance costs are significant," he said.

Vector won't say how much it is spending, citing commercial confidentiality, but says Aucklanders will gain greater security of electricity supply from its work.

Capital programme manager Alison Blackler said it had not been possible to complete the upgrade two summers ago.

She said the work was essential to improve the security of existing supply and to provide enough capacity for the area's growth, including that of Queens Wharf and the Britomart quarter.

Although most of Vector's trenching will be on the city side of the road, some work on the seaward side so ducts can be installed for future cables.

DRIVE SMART TO BEAT THE PETROL PRICE RISE

The price of 91 octane petrol has gone up 11c a litre since November to $1.96, but motorists can beat the increases by driving more efficiently, says AA PetrolWatch spokesman Mark Stockdale.

The price rise comes as many Kiwis get ready to leave for holidays.

Mr Stockdale said most people could save on their fuel bill with some simple vehicle checks and changes to the way they drove.

* Love your car - regular servicing, the right tyres, topping up your tyre pressure every few weeks and correct wheel alignment can save 10 to 20 per cent fuel compared with a poorly maintained vehicle.

* Don't speed - travelling at 110km/h can cost up to 13 per cent more fuel than lower speeds.

* Drive smoothly - accelerate and change gear without labouring the engine. In automatics, let the transmission change up early by accelerating on a light throttle.

* Look ahead rather than braking late, ease off the pedal ahead of changing traffic lights and when entering lower speed zones.

* Corner smoothly - don't brake hard for corners and then accelerate out. Slow gently, negotiate and exit the corner on a light throttle.

* Make hills work for you - lift off the throttle as you crest the hill and use the car's momentum to get you over the top. Build up speed before an uphill stretch.

* Watch your air con - air conditioning reduces fatigue but it can use up to 10 per cent more fuel, so put it on the economy setting when you don't need it.

* Keep your load down - remove those golf clubs, bike rack or roof rack when you're not using them to lighten the load.

* Reduce idling time - turn your engine off if stationary for more than 30 seconds.

* Avoid short trips - about a third of car trips are less than 2km, so combine tasks into one trip or walk.