Ask Phoebe: Look closely to see Onewa designs

Q. Years ago, when the Esmonde Rd and Onewa interchange project was started, there was talk of a $500,000 statue to be installed to represent North Shore City. Now that the project is finished, has the plan been abolished? Ruby Mardiano, Auckland.

A. There were some elaborate designs for interwoven fish skeletons at Onewa interchange, but it was the money, or lack of it, that put the kibosh on it. The NZ Transport Agency, Transit at the time, decided not to go ahead with the plans, and then North Shore City Council looked at providing all the funding, but this wasn't financially possible either.

The fishy theme is still there though, in the form of the pedestrian bridge and the scaly patterns in the concrete on the road bridge.

Q. As an infrequent traveller on the Northern Motorway, I always like to check on the radio motorway traffic report. I often hear that there is congestion from Constellation to St Marys. Where and what is Constellation? Where is St Marys? Surely in a motorway report the warnings should relate to named onramps such as Northcote Rd and Onewa Rd and not some other feature or road that non-locals cannot identify with. Bob Leversha , Warkworth.

A. Constellation is Constellation Drive, the eastbound road at the Upper Harbour Highway interchange. St Marys refers to the bay of the same name, roughly the area between the Harbour Bridge and Fanshawe St.

One of the traffic reporters at The Radio Network tells me that as far as possible, they do use onramp and offramp names as points of reference, such as Greville Rd and Tristram Ave. But because there are no offramps between Onewa and the city, it makes more sense to use a geographical feature.

You do make a good point though, Mr Leversha, especially when you consider that Constellation Drive isn't named on the southbound offramp at Upper Harbour Highway.

Q. Recently I've noticed a car with a peculiar box-shaped contraption attached to its passenger door, and the name Roaddata signwritten on it. What is it doing? Brian Jones, Sandringham.

A. It's taking pictures of road markings, and then analysing the data to measure consistency and condition of the painted markings. Apparently it's faster than the old handheld measuring systems, which could not be used on motorways for obvious reasons, is safer for that reason, and more accurate. The outfit who runs Roaddata has done work for NZ Transport Agency.

The machine can also collect information on things such as street lights, marker posts, road signs and even trees. Amazing.