Ask Phoebe: Motorway's leaning lights are a temporary hiccup

Do you live in Auckland? Do you have a question or a problem you want solved? Phoebe Falconer answers your queries every Thursday. Email 'Ask Phoebe' at newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz

I'm curious to know why the motorway lights on the approach to the Harbour Bridge from the north are not all perpendicular with respect to the road surface. Some lean to the right, some (like myself) lean to the left, but virtually none is at 90 degrees. Is this an example of the great "she'll be right" Kiwi attitude, or is there some abstruse technical reason for this aesthetic nightmare?
Bruce Tennent, Eden Tce.

It's all because of the construction of two new overbridges at Onewa Rd, which will replace the existing one.

While the upgrade is in progress, the lights are temporarily mounted on large concrete pads that can be moved as required. Sometimes the ground they are moved to is uneven, so the lights sit a bit skew-whiff. The good news is that they are perfectly safe and they will be permanently mounted at a perfectly perpendicular angle when the project is finished early next year.

And Mr Tennent has another question:

Ever since the great Queen St makeover debacle began, I've changed my route to work to go via Albert St. Almost every morning, I'm held up by traffic backing up through the Wellesley St intersection because of inconsiderate drivers turning right from Albert St into the public carpark by the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

There is a "no-right-turn" sign but it's partially obscured by a tree. There is a bus lane to one's left, so there is no choice but to sit and wait.

Could the council not move the sign to the left of the street, or, better still, put up some sort of barrier to prevent this morning madness?

Well, this certainly got a reaction.

The council knows about the frequent transgressors here, but even though it put the sign up, it does not have the authority to enforce a moving vehicle violation. That pleasure rests with the police, so the council has asked that they provide "targeted enforcement", particularly during peak hours.

And the good news (or bad, depending on your point of view) is that an upgrade of Albert St is scheduled to begin in May, and the issue of the veiled sign will be taken into consideration.

Can you tell me when the park-and-ride at Orakei will open? I have inquired before and was told the end of March, but I forgot to ask which year.
Moira McLean, Auckland.

It's under way, and expected to be finished by early March - this year.