Ask Phoebe: Lights at times react to factors elsewhere

This Warkworth intersection is being improved. Photo / Greg Bowker

Can you tell me which agency is responsible for activating the motorway onramp lights that feed traffic from the Mangere motorway southbound on the Southern Motorway at Manukau?

I have tried three different agencies in Auckland associated with traffic but they all say "not us".

The reason for my question is that three times in the past month these lights were activated and in all three instances the traffic flow southbound on the Southern at Manukau was light so there was no reason for them to be on.

The thing that really annoyed me is that in two instances the warning signals on the motorway leading to Manukau from Mangere were not activated to warn motorists that these lights were on. To top it off, the lights were switched on one Friday as traffic was queuing to get through. Again no warning lights, and then the lights were switched off, creating all sorts of confusion.
Barry Stern, South Auckland.

The NZ Transport Agency is responsible for the operation of ramp signals. They are operated to improve traffic flows throughout the entire Auckland motorway network, not at each individual onramp. If the signals are operating at an onramp where traffic volumes appear light, they may have been activated to help minimise delays for drivers because of congestion or an incident further along the motorway.

And there was an intermittent fault with the advance warning signs leading to Manukau from Mangere but this has been repaired.

At the Hill St intersection in Warkworth, seven roads meet - Matakana Rd, Elizabeth St, Sandspit Rd, and State Highway 1, not to mention access to and from Kowhai Park, Hill St and Millstream Rd.

There has been much talk in the past decade seeking a solution to the congestion and constant "glass on the road". Broken tail and head lights abound. We fear there will one day be blood.

There have been several major consultations on the nasty intersection from the old Rodney District Council, each costing $100,000. My neighbour and I offered to do the work for a mere $50,000 but were turned down.

Our solution, agreed to by other good Warkworth folk, was to install a large roundabout to sort the ever-increasing traffic.

We live 1km from the intersection, on Matakana Rd. On any typical weekend, we are delayed by stationary traffic at the front gate.

The queue on a "good" afternoon has been timed to take 35 minutes to reach the Warkworth traffic lights from there.
John Peterson, Warkworth.

The Transport Agency has looked at several different designs to improve the SH1/Hill St intersection.

A roundabout was not preferred for several reasons: a large one would have been needed to accommodate all the roads intersecting with this section of SH1; such a roundabout would affect nearby properties, including the school; and a roundabout with its continuous traffic would not be as safe a crossing for pedestrians and cyclists - especially children from the school or people wanting to connect with the centre of Warkworth - as an intersection controlled by traffic signals.

The agency says work on upgrading the intersection with a new layout and improved traffic signal operation will start once property purchases are complete, resource consents are approved, and funding is confirmed.