Ask Phoebe: Blue gantry feature of Newmarket skyline

When driving south over the Newmarket Flyover, I've noticed some blue steel frames that have appeared behind the barriers. I realise they must be something to do with the new bridge being built, but what exactly are they for? Steve Phillips, Remuera.

Firstly, I hope you were respecting the new speed limit - the NZ Transport Agency has reduced the southbound speed to 70km/h to guard against accidents while drivers are eyeballing visual distractions such as the frames you mentioned - but in terms of distraction, you ain't seen nothing yet.

The blue bars are the first bits of a 140m long, 20m tall, 700-tonne piece of bridge-building equipment that will be used to build most of the new Newmarket Viaduct. The machinery, which is being assembled underneath the viaduct, is called an overhead launching gantry and will undoubtedly add a new dimension to the Newmarket skyline for the next few years' of construction.

Once it has been used to build the new four-lane, southbound half of the new viaduct (due to be fully operational in 2011), the gantry will be moved to sit on top of the existing southbound lanes. In almost an exact reversal of how it has built the first half of the new bridge, it will then dismantle half of the old one to make way for the new northbound carriageway. Its final task will be to dismantle the old northbound lanes, revealing the new, stand-alone viaduct by the end of 2012.

Confused? Visit www.nzta.govt.nz/newmarketconnection for more information or freephone 0508 CONNECT (266 6328).

There are several businesses on Stanley St between the ASB tennis centre and Nicholls Lane which have parking that can only be accessed by driving along the footpath. Are these the remnants of parking that was once safely accessed before the council added the roadside planting? Are the carparks still legal? Because it sure isn't safe. In fact, it encourages constant use of the footpath by courier drivers, taxis and delivery trucks. Matt Hammond, Auckland.

Use of a footpath by drivers of any ilk is unacceptable, and the council plans to come down hard on transgressors.

At the time of the Stanley St upgrade in 2006, provision was made for vehicle access to adjoining businesses and properties, in consultation with the property owners. Maybe the council needs to revisit this?

Is it legal to drive a car in bare feet? Colin Monto, Auckland.

I can find nothing that indicates that it's not, in this country at least.

There is a bus lane on part of the citybound section of Tamaki Drive, Monday to Friday, from 7-9am. Outside of these times, does the relevant part of Tamaki Drive become a two-lane road? Can a vehicle drive in the inside lane and pass vehicles in the outer lane, on the inside? Can cyclists then treat the inside lane as a bike lane? Ross Stevenson, Remuera.

Yes, yes, and no. Bus, cycle and motorcycle lanes revert to general use outside of the posted hours. Passing on the left should always be undertaken with extreme caution. The rules for cyclists, including only riding two abreast, and single file while passing anything, apply.