KEY POINTS:
The pedestrian crossing outside Mt Albert Grammar School is uncontrolled. The teenagers using the crossing hold up traffic, including buses, and seem to have little regard for motorists. What plans do Auckland City have to regulate things here?
Anthony Morahan, Auckland.
The council will have a look
to see how safety can be improved.
But I think we should be impressed that the students are using the crossing at all, rather than darting across the road at any old place. Dale Burden, the headmaster, says it has taken a lot of work by the school, as well as road safety authorities, to encourage the kids to cross safely. This includes walking, not running, to reduce the chance of tripping and falling. And the fact that they are walking or cycling to school rather than driving has to be a good thing, doesn't it?
Alberton Ave, where the crossing is, is home to two other schools in addition to MAGS and also a public swimming pool. My suggestion would be, if you are in a hurry to get somewhere at the beginning or end of the school day, find another route.
Is there any chance of getting traffic lights at the intersection of Upper Queen St and Newton Rd? I work in an office overlooking the corner and I've seen some pretty bad crashes. It's not an easy stroll for pedestrians either, with no wide median. Any hope for us here?
Pshem Kowalczyk, Auckland.
Lights here, including a pedestrian phase, are on the plans and should be in place by the end of this financial year.
I travel from Grafton to the CBD via the Wellesley St underpass. At peak times, there are often delays at the lights for traffic heading towards the CBD from the Northwestern and Southern motorways. I have noticed that 80-90 per cent of traffic from the Southern Motorway turns left to the city, while those going to the hospital or motorway onramps from the CBD are held up unnecessarily.
I think that a solution would be to replace the lights facing the offramps with left- and right-turning arrows. Sensors could detect when the right arrow should go red and allow traffic to head to Grafton or the onramps. Good idea?
Alan Most, Grafton.
It is a good suggestion, say the nice people at Transit but, unfortunately at this spot, it just wouldn't work.
Because of the proximity of the motorway offramps to Wellesley St, special traffic lights are used. These are the sort that are so finely focused that they can only be seen by traffic in the lanes they are intended for.
If arrows were put in, the lights would be really hard to see, which would create a safety risk. But the nice people will have a think and see if they can come up with another solution.
Do you have queries about public transport, roading projects, roadworks or how to get a driver's licence? Contact Phoebe Falconer at Get Moving, Editorial department, NZ Herald, PO Box 32, Auckland. Fax (09) 3736421 or email newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz. Include name and address.