Ask Phoebe: North Shore onramp lights to be switched on soon

Despite having been installed for some time now, I see that the southbound onramp lights on the Northern Motorway are not being used to control flow in the mornings. When will these become operational? They will really assist us coming in from the north. Peter Robinson, North Shore.

These ramp signals are to be turned on progressively from next month. The ramps affected are at Oteha Valley Rd, Greville Rd, Constellation Drive, Tristram Ave, Northcote Rd and Onewa Rd. Priority lanes for trucks, buses and cars with two or more people will also operate at Greville Rd and Constellation Drive.

The Springs Rd/Harris Rd and Allens Rd/Smales Rd intersection in East Tamaki has become a disaster area. Driving on Allens/Smales in either direction, motorists are having to use one lane and queues of more than 100m and five light changes are not uncommon. When are they going to widen this intersection? D.K. Smith, South Auckland.

They, being Manukau City Council, plan to start work in mid-2011, when the money becomes available in the council's long-term plan. In the meantime, the council is buying the land necessary for the project. Traffic engineers are also looking at the light phasing to see if traffic flows can be improved.

This intersection is one of a number of roading projects associated with the traffic growth in East Tamaki following the opening of Highbrook Drive and the new motorway interchange.

I generally enter the Southern Motorway at the Wellesley St/Stanley St intersection. I often have to take my life in my hands getting into the right-turning lane as vehicles travel straight through the lane designated for turning right on to the Northwestern or Northern motorways. Am I correct in thinking this is illegal? If so, is there anything that can be done to stop the practice? Blair Daly, Auckland.

Don't you hate it when that happens? The Transport Agency is aware of this and yes, it is illegal to continue straight ahead in a marked turning lane. There is signage on the approach to the intersection to dissuade errant drivers, but the NZTA plans to beef this up with extra road markings. They'll also give a heads-up to the highway police to keep an eye out. You have been warned.

How are they going to replace the Newmarket viaduct without causing major disruption to Auckland's southbound traffic? Phillippa Barry, Auckland.

It's a carefully orchestrated scheme of "put one up, pull one down".

In it's simplest terms, the idea is to build a replacement southbound structure of four lanes, 13m north of the existing viaduct. Once traffic is using the new structure, the old southbound half of the 1965 viaduct will be demolished - very carefully.

The next step is to build a replacement northbound three-lane carriageway in the gap left by the old southbound structure. Lastly, the old northbound lanes will be demolished.

There will be some minor disruption to traffic flows with closures of onramps and offramps and some local roads, but the sequencing should mean business as usual.

For more information and a timeline, visit www.transit.govt.nz/projects/newmarketconnection.