Subscribe to RSSHobsonsville Motorway Won’t End Delays
The prime minister opens the new State Highway 18 Hobsonville motorway connecting the North Shore to west Auckland on Saturday – but the NZTA admits drivers should still expect some delays during the morning and afternoon peaks.
The $220M project has two components: a six kilometre four-lane motorway between the Upper Harbour Bridge in the east and the Northwestern Motorway (SH16) in the west; and a three kilometre four-lane extension of SH16 from Westgate to a new roundabout at Brigham Creek Road.
The NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland and Northland, Tommy Parker says the new motorway “will be a big step forward in providing more reliable travel times and improving safety by moving thousands of vehicles away from local roads.”
But he adds –“there will be some hold-ups during the peaks, and it will not stop all congestion in north-west Auckland. There is still a lot of work to be done before we finish this motorway alternative to SH1 and can deliver all of its benefits to drivers.”
Morning queues are expected to occur near Westgate when traffic on the Hobsonville motorway merges with city bound vehicles on the Northwestern Motorway (SH16). The Northwestern is already busy in the morning around the Westgate area.
In the afternoon, queues are expected on the Upper Harbour Highway (SH 18) at the Constellation Drive intersection with the Northern Motorway (SH1). There could also be queues at the Brigham Creek roundabout narrows to one lane heading north-west.
There will be an open day on Saturday and motorists can use it from Sunday.
NZTA estimates up to 35,000 vehicles daily are expected to use the new Hobsonville route, and 14,000 daily on the Brigham Creek extension. Traffic is expected to reduce by 80% on Hobsonville Road, improving travel on what is rated New Zealand’s sixth worst road for fatalities and crashes.
The NZTA advises drivers to plan to use the new routes:
• Travelling east on the new SH16 extension, no off-ramp at Westgate, the first available exit is at Lincoln Road
• Travelling from Kumeu to Westgate, use Fred Taylor Drive to Don Buck Road (old SH16)
• Travelling from Kumeu to the North Shore, use Brigham Creek Road
Ramp signals will operate at the new SH18 motorway on-ramps and the Westgate entrance to the Northwestern Motorway to help manage traffic flows and assist merging. Extra cameras will also monitor traffic flows from the Joint Traffic Operations Centre at Smales Farm to help clear congestion the morning bottleneck on SH16 earlier.
0 Comments
You can be the first one to leave a comment.