Roundabout metering to be introduced at SH2 Elizabeth St

Traffic lights at Takitimu Drive/Elizabeth St will be operating from mid-April 2019. Photo / Supplied

Traffic lights at the State Highway 2 Elizabeth St roundabout will be operating in the next few weeks to help improve traffic flow in the morning peak.

From mid-April 2019, traffic lights will be operating on SH2 Takitimu Drive northbound at the Elizabeth St roundabout.

The traffic lights will have orange and red lights but no green.

The traffic lights on SH2 will be phased to ease queues for SH2 citybound traffic on to Elizabeth St during the weekday morning peak.

The lights will be trialled for 12 to 18 months, with the possibility of becoming permanent, and will only operate when traffic queues on SH2 southbound activate the metering.

The lights will be operating from mid-April 2019. Photo / Supplied

When this happens, the lights will turn orange then red to stop the vehicles, allowing SH2 citybound traffic to enter the roundabout.

Give way rules will still apply when entering the roundabout.

The roundabout metering followed an Australian system that uses orange and red lights only, with no green.

It was also the same system that was installed at SH29A Barkes Corner roundabout.

This work was part of a wider programme being implemented across the Bay of Plenty to improve safety and efficiency.