Ask Phoebe: Next stage gives hope for wider road

The view from the Greenhithe Rd bridge. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

As you travel west along Upper Harbour Drive between State Highway 1 and Albany Highway, the road narrows to one lane between Paul Matthews Rd and Unsworth Drive. Are there any plans to widen this strip to two lanes, bearing in mind that when the Hobsonville motorway and the Waterview connection are completed, a lot more vehicles will be using this route to head south rather than driving across the harbour bridge and through Spaghetti Junction?

John Saunders, Northcote.

The NZ Transport Agency is beginning investigations into improvements along the Upper Harbour Highway (State Highway 18) which it hopes to develop further and complete in its next three-year funding cycle, 2012-15. The agency's longer-term objective is to upgrade the Constellation Drive interchange so there is a seamless motorway connection between State Highways 1 and 18.

While I think it is great that the two new motorway extensions linking Westgate to the Greenhithe Bridge and Westgate to Kumeu are opening next month, I find it really strange that the two have not been linked together. If you are travelling from Kumeu and want to go over to the North Shore, you have to drive all the way through Whenuapai (at 50km/h) and enter the motorway from Trigg Rd or further on at Hobsonville. Are there any plans in the future for the two new extensions to be linked?

Tracey Bos, Kumeu.

How very timely, as the Hobsonville extension has just opened, ahead of time. But the news on a link between the two motorways is not so good. The agency believes the connection is not justifiable on traffic grounds at present.

In the 1990s, when the Hobsonville motorway was designed, information on traffic volume and costs indicated that the link was not necessary. Since then, growth in northwest Auckland has been greater than estimated. Because of this increase, the NZ Transport Agency is working with Auckland Transport to identify future local road and state highway requirements around the Westgate shopping centre, including preliminary investigation work for a possible direct motorway connection. The road through Whenuapai will remain the link until the economic case for linking the two motorways becomes strong enough for it tohappen.

I see that the new roundabout at Lunn Ave/Abbotts Way has traffic lights. A good idea - this combination has worked well in London for many years. When can we expect to see lights controlling the roundabout at Royal Oak?

Jay Venables, Auckland.

Not any time soon, I'm afraid. Auckland Transport has no plans to install lights at the Royal Oak roundabout.

* This column on July 21 incorrectly stated that no states in Australia require an annual vehicle safety check. I have been informed that New South Wales has mandatory safety inspections. The "pink slip" certificate is issued annually by a licensed garage for vehicles older than five years as a condition of registration. Thanks to those who wrote in with this information.