Subscribe to RSSMangere Bridge Extra Lane
NZTA is increasing capacity for northbound drivers on the by providing an additional third lane on the existing Mangere Bridge.
“We anticipate the change will bring relief and time savings for drivers – particularly at peak times,” said the NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland, Tommy Parker.
“The bridge with its previous two lanes was a pinch point on the Southwestern that caused of a lot of queuing, delays and frustrations.”
The extra lane has been added by reducing existing lane widths and moving the median barrier on the bridge. Mr Parker says it is important that drivers observe the 80kph speed limit when using the northbound lanes.
The project is 7 months ahead of schedule.
The third northbound lane is due to become operational at 3am on Monday but the NZTA says the exact timing depends on the weather staying dry.
The NZTA initiative means that a continuous three lane motorway will operate northwards from Walmsley Road across the Manukau Harbour to Hillsborough Road.
“It’s a motorway environment and the reduced lane widths and extra traffic on the bridge mean people have to drive with care,” he says. The NZTA says if wet weather prevents contractors completing their final preparations for the changeover, the opening of the third lane will be delayed until later in the week.
Mr Parker says the additional lane is an earlier than expected benefit that the NZTA and its partners constructing the new Mangere Bridge are able to deliver to drivers on this section of the Western Ring Route.
10 Comments
This will be fantastic for commuters from western Auckland suburbs who work in Mangere/Manukau City. They’ve opened 3 lanes already Northbound back as far as the Neilson st on-ramp about a week ago.
Is this just till the opening of the new bridge..? If so why wasn’t it done years ago..?
Jeremy, I assume it is only possible because the approach motorways now have the capacity for this.
There are now 2 quite narrow lanes southbound behind a shifted temporary metal barrier and 3 north, with the 3rd one currently blocked by cones. Once a bit more work is done on the surface and barriers either side it looks like its ready to go with 3 to the north.
There’s an 80km/h limit along its length which probably allows for the narrower lanes with no shoulder. There must be design minimum width guidelines for 100km/h Motorway lanes so it wouldn’t have allowed for 5 lanes across the bridge under normal circumstances.
I wouldn’t want to be involved in an accident going south it’s pretty tight there now. Neilson st’s onramp there is quite short at the moment and its nerve-wracking being in either lane with trucks often merging at what seem like pretty high speeds.
@ingolfson: of course, doh..!
*smacks forehead with palm*
Wow, the 25mins promised savings were totally justified, if anything my afternoon commute along the affected route is upto 30mins faster now! Its amazing what that extra time in the afternoon means not having to waste it sitting on the motorway going nowhere fast.
Bring on the induced demand, then. Who needs airport rail?
Joust, no doubt things are sweet in the first week, the true test will be if any of those savings still exist six months time or if it is back to the same old story.
@joust Glad to hear you’re having a less stressful ride home!
Thanks Jon.
@ingolfson on one hand you and Nick R are expecting the extra capacity to congest itself shortly and on the other being pessimistic about the need for rail in the first place. Which is it?
On the subject of Airport rail, any rapid transit link there would need pretty long running hours to expect to cover the variety of shifts worked by aviation industry staff heading there for work, its not exactly a 9-5 environment.