T RA N S P O RT
North Harbour route optimisation Sarah de Zwart is BNH’s transport and relationship manager. As part of her regular contact with Auckland Transport (AT), she provides details of traffic area hotspots and members’ concerns. What follows is a summary of Sarah’s recent report and AT’s responses.
East Coast Road and Constellation Drive intersection
Ramp Road and Sunset Road intersection
Left-turning vehicles from Constellation onto East Coast Road are unable to move left into the double lanes ahead due to the derelict section of T2 lane. This causes unnecessary queues behind rightturning traffic onto East Coast Road from Constellation.
Left-turning vehicles are held up in the build-up of vehicles turning right. Cars are resorting to turning left and performing U-turns.
Recommendation: Change the T2 section of Constellation from Apollo Drive to East Coast Road into a clearway.
Recommendation: Clearway on the eastern side from 3.00 pm (rather than 4.00 pm). Review: Roundabout on the corner of Ramp, Sunset and Sycamore Roads.
AT’s response
AT’s response
• The guiding principle for Constellation Drive is people movement, which justifies the rationale for the Special Vehicle Lane (T2 in this case). • There is high frequency of buses using this corridor, especially during peak periods. • Reverting down to a clearway /general traffic lane would be going against the guiding principle. Notwithstanding this, we have passed your concerns on to ATOC (Auckland Transport Operations Centre) to investigate if any changes can be made with respect to signal phasing and timing.
• There is an existing proposal to signalise this intersection. During investigation we came across some geotechnical issues that needed further investigation. We are waiting on the final outcome of the geotechnical investigation before we can make any improvements.
BNH’s comments to AT
BNH’s Response We have asked to re-review, reminding AT that the T2 does not continue onto East Coast Road, therefore from Apollo Drive it is rendered obsolete.
Bush Road, turning left onto Albany Expressway Left-turning vehicles are stuck behind the straight-ahead and rightturning vehicles. BNH’s comments to AT Recommendation: Start the divide earlier for the left lane by utilising the spare land. Review: The traffic signal lights for the intersection with right-turning and straight-ahead traffic. AT’s response
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BNH’s comments to AT
Constellation Drive and Parkway Drive intersection (eastern end) Right-turning traffic is unable to move onto the busy arterial route as cars are either moving too fast to merge or ignore the keep clear road markings when the traffic is queueing. BNH’s comments to AT Recommendation: Add cross-hatching road marking. Review: The intersection. AT’s response • Merit in progressing this further. Your request has been passed onto Traffic Engineering for further investigation.
T2 lane usage across the North Harbour district
• The topography of Bush Road is not conducive to utilising the adjacent spare land for additional carriageway, in this case the left-turn lane. • In addition to retaining walls, service and light pole relocations, significant geotechnical testing will also need to be undertaken to confirm feasibility of this option. • Hence, because of the associated costs and uncertainties, this would not be a typical “low cost, low risk” intervention funded by the Optimisation programme.
Increased driver knowledge of the T2 lanes. Drivers are unsure when they can use the lanes, which causes unnecessary erratic lane changing.
BNH’s Response
AT’s response
We have requested the recommended team within AT to review this hot spot.
• We will see how this can be internally reviewed by other teams as it involves media promotion.
J U N E 2 02 0 F Y I B U S I N E SS N H .O R G . N Z
BNH’s comments to AT Recommendation: A dual targeted approach with:
• Driver education with temporary street signage to remind drivers they can use the lanes outside the recorded hours. • Media promotion.
