24 February 2005

Congestion-busting traffic signals to be trialled on Greville Road

Transit New Zealand is introducing trial measures to ease traffic congestion near the Greville Road northbound off-ramp during peak periods. At present, northbound traffic exiting the Northern Motorway at Greville Road regularly queues back 1km to the Constellation Drive interchange, reducing the motorway to a single lane causing major disruption to the motorway.

According to Transit regional manager (acting), Richard Hancy, the problem is becoming worse with the growth of nearby Massey University and Albany Town Centre, both of which are serviced by this motorway off-ramp. Traffic also uses the off-ramp to access the adjacent Albany Industrial Centre via Tawa Drive.

Mr Hancy says traffic surveys show the problem is caused by the relatively low number of vehicles from Greville Road which has priority at the roundabout that meets the off-ramp traffic.

"To remedy the situation, we will be trialling traffic signals on Greville Road to platoon west and northbound traffic, which in turn will create larger gaps within the roundabout," he says. "The Greville Road signals will remain green until triggered by traffic queued over detector 'induction loops' indicating a 100m long queue on the off-ramp. This will free-up off-ramp traffic and significantly reduce the northbound traffic queue and congestion on the motorway," says Mr Hancy.

ENDS

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