4th Newmarket Lane Opened At Last

 

After a couple of nights of weather affecting road works, the 4th motorway lane across the new southbound Newmarket Viaduct is now open.

Despite a heavy fog last night, the final works were completed and the expanded motorway layout opened in time for this morning’s southbound commute.

The NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland, Tommy Parker, makes some interesting claims about the benefits:

  • The extra capacity will reduce peak-hour southbound journeys to Greenlane by up to five minutes, and providing more reliable travel times for commuters coming from both the south and the west
  • These improvements and their associated fuel savings will be worth over $1M a week to Auckland’s economy.

The Newmarket Viaduct is currently being replaced as part of the NZTA’s $215M Newmarket Connection: Viaduct Replacement Project. The extra lane was factored into the design of the new viaduct to address the traditional peak-hour bottleneck associated with the original three-lane southbound bridge.

NZTA says thanks to an innovative staged approach to project delivery, the NZTA has been able to realise this key benefit midway through the replacement project – and importantly, ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

hile the new motorway lane will provide immediate congestion relief benefits in central Auckland, Mr Parker says it should be viewed within the context of the NZTA’s long-term regional plan to improve traffic flows on the city’s motorway network.

“The additional capacity provided by the new lane will put extra pressure at peak times on the Greenlane interchange and further south at Ellerslie/Panmure. The NZTA will be working with our partners at Auckland Transport to monitor the opening and ensure traffic flows as smoothly and safely as possible.”

Drivers are reminded that the reduced 70kph speed limit still applies in both directions across the Newmarket Viaduct, as the area remains a live construction zone. Drivers exiting at Greenlane are advised to expect a slightly longer queue due to the faster arrival rate of vehicles at the off-ramp.

The project is being completed in four stages of construction and deconstruction and is due to be completed in December 2012.

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