KEY POINTS:
The first few weeks of March are usually the worst weeks of the year for traffic congestion in the Auckland region. What plans do Transit and the city councils, particularly Auckland City, have to ease this congestion? Do they, for example, postpone roadworks or rephase traffic signals?
Cheryl Clarke, Pakuranga.
It happens every year, doesn't it? You just get used to getting to work and home again in a reasonable amount of time, and then those pesky university students hit town, the kids go back to school, and the motorways and roads turn into giant carparks.
Transit is aware of the problems, and tries to schedule its major work to be carried out at night so as to minimise disruption.
On big jobs such as Hillsborough Rd and Constellation Drive, it is necessary to work during the day as well, but Transit tries to get as much done during the holidays as possible. The weather is often better then, which is a bonus.
Last year the increase in traffic was greater than usual, with a 3 per cent rise in traffic southbound over the Harbour Bridge in the morning peak, and there is no reason to assume that this year will be any different.
And then for some reason, the volumes drop in the following months, so things get a little easier.
The traffic signals are operated mainly on an automatic system which can detect increased traffic flows and adjust the lights accordingly.
Operators monitor the flows from their base in Northcote, and can make manual adjustments to traffic lights when necessary.
In Auckland City, roadworks are closely monitored, and in general are not permitted to be carried out during morning and evening peak hours unless it is an emergency.
But the council needs to get big jobs out of the way during the summer months before the cold and wet put a stop to construction.
The Auckland council area is only one of the contributors to the automatic lights system, so it benefits from the automatic monitoring system.
But if you know of a set of lights where you feel the phasing is out of kilter with the predominant traffic flow, by all means ring the council (379-2020) and it will check it out.
Another way round the problem of traffic congestion is to consider other means of travel, where that is possible.
A bus trip can be considered attitude adjustment time between work and home, and walking or cycling are healthy alternatives.
* Do you live in Auckland? Do you have a question or problem you want solved? Phoebe answers your queries every Tuesday and Thursday. Email 'Ask Phoebe' at newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz
