KEY POINTS:
I use the Manukau onramp to the Southern Motorway every morning to get from the city centre to Papakura, and I've seen a huge amount of construction on the other side of the road. What is it all about and why? Clare Fergusson, Puhinui.
It's all to
do with the new motorway link between SH1 and SH20. The work you have seen is a new southbound onramp from Redoubt Rd, which is due to open tomorrow. So now, if you're heading towards Manukau City centre, instead of waiting to turn right from Redoubt Rd to get on to the loop onramp, it's an easy left turn and a straight, two lane ramp that merges into one lane before it hits the motorway.
In the photo, there's a bridge with a gap in the middle. This will eventually be the flyover from SH1 to SH20 when construction is finished, around the end of next year.
You are probably sick of the toll road by now, but I have a question. I bought four trips on Anniversary Weekend, not knowing the weekend was free. I'm hoping I can use them in the next six months. But while I was paying at the BP payment booth, I ended up trying to help two other people who had personalised plates (I think). One plate was REGS I and the other BLK 15. There didn't seem to be a space bar on the touch screen so only REGSI and BLK15 could be loaded and prepaid. I'm concerned that these plates, without the space, belong to other people. Do they? Brian Hewitt, Auckland.
What a good fellow you are, Brian. And such helpfulness will be rewarded.
The trips you bought for Anniversary Weekend are good for 180 days, and will be free for that time.
And fear not about the space bar. The numbers and letters all run together in the system. In fact, there's apparently a message on the screen advising customers to enter the registration without spaces.
When driving down Stanley St, you have to turn right to get to the Domain. At that intersection there are temporary orange and white plastic barriers. They have been there since Grafton Gully was remodelled. How temporary does this make them? Does someone have to keep paying the hireage of them? Michael Harrison, Auckland.
The barriers are there to cordon off a Stormwater Quality Improvement Device, or Sqid. Sounds like some sort of urban marine life. The barriers have remained while a lease on the land was being sorted out, but it's done now and the new leaseholders should soon be taking responsibility for the sectioned-off area.
In the meantime, the NZ Transport Agency has needed access to Sqid for maintenance. The cost of the barriers has been met from NZTA's operations budget.