Media Release
16 January 2006

Transit Advises Motorists To Use Taranaki St When Travelling To Eastern And Southern Suburbs

Transit New Zealand is urging motorists travelling between the city centre and Wellington’s eastern and southern suburbs to use Taranaki Street rather than Victoria Street, as part of the route changes following the opening of the northbound section of the Wellington Inner City Bypass.

There have been some delays in the upper Victoria Street area over the last two weeks caused by unexpectedly high volumes of traffic in the inner city over the holiday period. Transit’s Wellington Inner City Bypass project manager Jonnette Adams says motorists can avoid these delays by crossing the city via Taranaki Street and Arthur Street, bypassing the stretch of Victoria Street preceding Karo Drive.

Ms Adams adds that Taranaki Street has been operating at well below capacity while Victoria Street has been bearing the brunt of higher than usual traffic volumes in recent weeks. “Motorists can take advantage of the lighter traffic flows on Taranaki Street as this route is currently underused.”

Transit is monitoring traffic levels on Victoria Street closely. “We’re modifying the signals to manage traffic flows as drivers get used to the new road system,” says Ms Adams.

Transit has been quick to respond to the delays, introducing a range of additional measures this afternoon to ease traffic on Victoria Street:
• A slip lane on Victoria St leading to Karo Drive has been opened to traffic as paving work was completed today.
• A Variable Message Sign was installed at Ghuznee/Victoria intersection saying 'Hospital & Airport traffic use Taranaki St'.
• 20m of barriers have been installed on Victoria St just south of Ghuznee St to help direct motorists turning right from Ghuznee St so that they do not block the intersection

Ms Adams stressed that only half of the Bypass is open, and that the full benefits will not be realised until the opening of the southbound route midway through this year.

In late January Transit will be reversing the flow of Vivian Street between Willis Street and Victoria Street, and within the next five months Vivian Street between Victoria St and Taranaki Street will be reversed as the southbound route of the Bypass. At the same time that Vivian Street becomes the southbound route, Ghuznee Street will resort to a two way inner city street. Transit will continue to keep the public informed as changes are introduced.

“As the southbound route nears completion we will continue to introduce changes to motorists,” says Ms Adams. “These changes will take some getting used to, and we urge motorists to take extra care and follow signage closely.”

Transit thanks motorists for their patience and cooperation over this time.

ENDS

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