KEY POINTS:
Could you please advise when physical work is expected to begin on the Onewa Rd/motorway interchange? How long will it take? Are there alternatives planned to ease the huge impact it will have on the weekday morning traffic? A diagram would be helpful. Adele Walsh, Birkenhead.
Work actually began here at the end of 2005, when the land was drained and embankments were built to carry the new motorway overbridge. Construction of the interchange itself began in January this year, and is scheduled to be completed in January 2009.
At present the bridge over the motorway from Onewa Rd carries both on- and off-ramp traffic. This bridge will be demolished and replaced by two new bridges, one for the on-ramp and one for the off. This will also allow buses from Onewa Rd to join the new Busway.
The interchange will remain open throughout the construction period, except for a temporary closure of the southbound offramp, but the date for this hasn't been set yet.
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With the double-tracking of the western railway line, is the rail bridge over Titirangi Rd going to be widened for traffic underneath? Traffic jams occur here regularly, with two lanes of traffic trying to squeeze into one. Jane Greensmith, Titirangi.
There's a similar problem at the bottom of Henderson Valley Rd. As part of the western line duplication, the second bridge will be put up on existing bridge piers, so no road widening at this stage.
Waitakere City Council will design a road-widening plan, but until new bridge piers are put in, the plan cannot be used. There is no timeframe yet for the bridge pier replacement.
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Is there any intention to provide a pedestrian crossing or traffic lights near the Upper Queen St intersection with Newton Rd? Because there is no flush median in Newton Rd, pedestrians are forced to dodge through the cars to cross the road. Darren Craze, Auckland.
Yes and yes. Traffic lights are scheduled to be installed at this intersection by the middle of the year, and there will definitely be a pedestrian phase.
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When will the motorway bridge over Mt Wellington Highway be widened to a third or fourth lane? It is the major cause of congestion both ways as traffic funnels down from four lanes to two. Ross Harvey, Abby Mills, Auckland.
Not any time soon. The narrowness at this point is deliberate, and acts as a brake in the system. The change to two lanes slows traffic and allows traffic in from the Southwestern Motorway.
