KEY POINTS:
With all the work on the central connector project between Britomart and Newmarket, what is the fate of those beautiful trees along Symonds St? Will they have to give their all for the sake of faster bus traffic?
James Cameron, Auckland.
The trees will live on. As well as the existing plane trees in Symonds St, a further 80 trees will be planted to augment the 162 that already exist on the central connector route.
Are the metal lids on glass jars of jam from the supermarket recyclable?
Bronwen Summers, Morningside.
Yes.
What has happened to the statue of Robbie (Sir Dove-Myer Robinson) that used to greet pedestrians entering Aotea Square from Queen St? And why isn't he, even temporarily, up on that little flat under-used balustraded area right in front of the town hall?
Bruce Morley, Grafton.
Robbie is being held in a secure facility while work is being done to strengthen parts of Aotea Square. Details on the future placement of art works in the square are still to be completed, but we at Ask Phoebe think the spot you mention would be perfect for Robbie.
Do you remember those pens with invisible ink we were all encouraged to use to mark our valuable electronic gear? What are they called, and where do you buy them?
Ted McNeill, North Shore.
They're called security marker pens, and most Paper Plus stores sell them.
Late in November the centre lines were repainted on the winding Scenic Drive between Titirangi village and Shaw Rd. They start out as double yellow lines, followed by yellow and white together, and finally a continuous white line. What is the difference? Which lines, if any, can you cross to pass slow cyclists, especially on busy weekends with heavy traffic going to the beach and cyclists in training for some event or other?
Murray Hunter, Titirangi.
Ask Phoebe's roving reporter went out for a look - well, it was a beautiful day. There are double yellow lines between the roundabout and the top of Tawini Rd, and then a white line with a yellow line on the north side of it between Tawini and the 50km/h sign west of Tawini. It then becomes a white line only.
On the double yellow lines, you may not pass at all if you have to cross the lines to do so. You may not overtake anywhere there is a yellow line on your side of the centre line. The white line is a centre-of-the-road marker.
So if passing cyclists would mean crossing yellow lines, you may not. You just have to be patient. Mind you, with that twisting road, passing anywhere is fraught, so taking it slow and easy is safer.