Described by one man as 'suicide', Southern Motorway on-ramps may need a rethink, reports Rowena Orejana.
Peter Barrow has driven the Southern Motorway for 30 years. At peak traffic, one can be in for a long wait at an on-ramp. While you wait, cars, trucks and trailers hurtle past.
"There are petrol tankers, big ones. And if you're stuck on the left-hand lane trying to get on with one of those on the side of you, there is nowhere to go," he says, observing the traffic from the Orams Rd overbridge just north of Manurewa.
"Driving here is really good luck more than good judgment."
He says there is a "100km/h suicide merging on-ramp", ending at a left-hand bend at the overbridge.
"The crash barriers have been crashed into many times since this has been opened. The crash barriers are all dented up," he points out.
Although there is a sign that states the merge ends in 200m, he says, "this is a joke at 100km/h with a truck and trailer on your right."
He suggests freeing the left-hand lane to take all exiting and merging traffic. "They should erect overhead signs above the motorway from Reagan Rd overpass to Hill Rd, and at every existing overhead sign in-between, stating that the middle and right-hand lanes are for southbound traffic only," he says.
Mr Barrow believes his suggestion may also help the traffic a little bit. "But, long-term, you do need to put in a new Orams Rd overbridge on that side of the motorway," he reckons.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says the suggestion has merit and has been investigated.
"However, the risk of more lane changing as well as one lane carrying more vehicles than another, would outweigh the benefits of such a proposal," says Steve Mutton, regional asset manager, who adds that the agency places signs so that motorway drivers have time to read them and react safely.
"There is a risk that additional signage may create an 'information overload' situation and become a distraction for drivers, increasing the risk of a crash."
Mr Barrow, an engineer, says it's been obvious to him since the Government began laying the southwest connection that there were going to be major problems. "They've done a fantastic job with the link-up. You can't fault that. They've really done it nicely. Now they've got to do the on-ramp and sort that out."
Lane changes
A third southbound lane between Hill Rd and the Takanini Interchange is in the works to ease congestion on the Southern Motorway, particularly around the merging point of State Highways 1 and 20.
Steve Mutton says this will be the first of four stages of work that includes widening a number of bridges.
The project will also add a third southbound lane between Takanini and Papakura, upgrade Takanini Interchange and add a fourth southbound lane between State Highway 20 and Hill Rd.
"Because the Hill Rd to Takanini Interchange project has been brought forward, it is not yet in the NZTA's programme and no funding has been allocated to it. However, a significant amount of preliminary investigation work has already been undertaken," says Mr Mutton.
The transport agency has made a number of changes to improve safety where the two motorways merge.
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