KEY POINTS:
The first two Northwestern Motorway onramp signals will come into operation this month as part of the NZ Transport Agency's plan to manage the rate at which vehicles enter the motorway system from feeder roads.
Some onramps will have priority lanes for bus, taxi and freight vehicles. Vehicles
with two or more occupants will be allowed to use the priority lanes to encourage car pooling.
September 22 has been confirmed as the switch on date for westbound onramp signals for St Lukes Rd (Western Springs) and Newton Rd.
Agency acting regional manager Tommy Parker said the St Lukes Rd and Newton Rd signals would be aimed at improving traffic flows and travel times in the area of heavy traffic volumes between Newton and Avondale.
Initially, these signals would operate from midday to give drivers a chance to become familiar with what is required. Gradually, the lights' operation would be extended to peak times.
The next signals to be activated would be at Great North Rd Waterview westbound, and Patiki Rd westbound.
The agency was working with Auckland and Waitakere City Councils to manage traffic flows on the local feeder roads to the onramps.
Waitakere City was improving the busy Lincoln and Te Atatu Roads.
Over the next six months, a further six onramps between Patiki Rd and Royal Rd would have signals.
Better flow and safety should result from work on the alignment and operation of a number of ramps, particularly at Te Atatu, Lincoln and Royal Roads.
Priority lanes would be at onramps for Lincoln Rd, Te Atatu Rd (Peninsula) and Great North Rd.
Cameras, sensors and police patrols will check on queue lengths.
Mr Parker said signals would operate when needed during the morning and afternoon peaks and other busy periods.
He reported successful results for traffic management signals installed on each of the southbound onramps on the Southern Motorway last year, as well as the northbound onramps from Mt Wellington to Gillies Ave.
The signals had improved travel speed by 15 per cent and increased flow of vehicles by 5 to 15 per cent.
A total of 61 ramp signals would be installed on Auckland's motorways by 2009.
The Northwestern Motorway ramp signal sites are:
- Newton Rd westbound
- St Lukes/Western Springs westbound
- Great North Rd Waterview westbound
- Pakiri Rd westbound
- Te Atatu Rd westbound
- Lincoln Rd westbound
- Royal Rd eastbound
- Lincoln Rd eastbound
- Te Atatu Rd eastbound
- Te Atatu Peninsula eastbound
- Rosebank Rd eastbound
- Great North Rd Waterview eastbound
- St Lukes/Western Springs eastbound.