Get moving: Overbridge feature will have a use after all

Q: What is the structure being built on the overbridge spanning the new Sylvia Park development? Colleen Murray, East Tamaki.

A: It is an architectural feature described by the developers, Kiwi Income Property Trust, as a prow. Eventually it will be illuminated with the words "Sylvia Park". Can't wait.

Q: There are five metered car parks at the top of College Hill between Margaret St and the Three Lamps intersection. At home time they block the traffic turning left into Ponsonby Rd. At the same time the light phasing is such that when you do get to the corner to turn left you are blocked by right-turning traffic from Jervois Rd. Are there any plans to turn the car parks into clearway between 4pm and 6pm? David Skelton, Auckland.

A: There are two parts to this answer. The council will look at the car parks, but if they do decide to remove the spaces at rush hour they will have to consult with the business association, shop owners and possibly even the community board. And the light phasing is awry at the moment while the road surface at the corner is resealed. The council will adjust it back again when the work is finished.

Q: Northbound on East Coast Rd, there are two lanes at the Rosedale Rd intersection, and again two lanes at the Browns Bay Rd intersection. In between, the road is one lane each way, creating a bottleneck, especially with a bus stop halfway along. Has North Shore City Council considered re-marking the road to make use of the median? Chris Pattison, Auckland.

A: The flush median is there as a safety feature, says the council. It allows for right turns and permits cars to enter the traffic stream, and the council has no plans to remove it. The two lanes at intersections allow cars to stack while waiting for a green light, and then clear the intersection quickly.

And as an aside, there is a plan to introduce a southbound transit lane on East Coast Rd between Sunset Rd and Forrest Hill Rd, for buses and vehicles with three or more people during the morning peak. When the Northern Busway is finished and the network of transit lanes are in place, the council hopes that more people will catch buses and thereby reduce congestion.