Get moving: Pakuranga delays case of Murphy's Law

Q: A couple of weeks ago traffic on Pakuranga Rd by St Kentigern College was held up by road surface repairs. The backlog extended to the Panmure roundabout. Are there any guidelines for when road repairs should be done or is this left to the commonsense of the workers? John Walkden, Bucklands Beach.

A: Yes, there are approved times when roadworks can be carried out, and road crews do try to stick to them. Unfortunately, says Bruce Conaghan of Manukau City Council, this was a case of Murphy's Law, things went awry, and the site tidying took longer than expected.

But when the work is finished, it should be fine for another 10 years.

Q: Coming across Grafton Bridge towards Symonds St, why is the phasing for the lights so short? Right-turning traffic is often held up by slow pedestrians. Can the phasing be extended? Peter Hitchcock, Northgate.

A: Given the proximity to the hospital, it's entirely possible that some pedestrians might be slower than elsewhere, but that is not the reason for the phasing here. Normally at an intersection like this, pedestrians would cross with left-turning traffic from Karangahape Rd but because the visibility is so bad from this approach, and because of the number of people who have been knocked down, the pedestrian crossing light goes with the traffic from Grafton Bridge. This will not change or the phases be extended, as they are already at full stretch.

Q: The motorway crossing at Esmonde Rd is well under way, but nothing seems to be happening with the proposed road-widening in Esmonde Rd itself, nor Lake Rd between Esmonde and Jutland. Has this been shelved? Peter Carruthers, Takapuna.

A: North Shore City Council is acquiring land along Esmonde and Lake Rds, so that the widening can happen. Esmonde city-bound will go to three lanes from Eldon Rd to the motorway, with a median barrier and cycle lanes. The Lake Rd widening will also include cycle lanes, and work should be finished next year, to coincide with the opening of the motorway interchange.

Q: Do you know the reason for the parallel blue lines painted on the road between Dairy Flat and Kaukapakapa? Lorna Clauson, Papakura.

A: The lines are calibration marks to allow a high-speed data machine to take readings of the road surface. The lines are there to make sure that the machine takes subsequent readings in the same places.