Transit New Zealand
Wellington Regional Office

MEDIA RELEASE
8 March 2007

New traffic signals operating at Basin Reserve on Saturday morning

Transit New Zealand advises that new traffic signals will be operating at the intersection of Adelaide Road/Rugby Street as of Saturday morning.

Transit New Zealand project manager Jonnette Adams says the installation of traffic signals was done to improve pedestrian safety at this busy intersection. It also provides motorists with an extra lane at this point for traffic heading north and to the city and should improve traffic flow.

“The new layout gives motorists from the Mt Victoria Tunnel two dedicated lanes that continue from the Basin Reserve through to the Inner City Bypass. It also provides motorists from Adelaide Road controlled access to Rugby Street, which is expected to lead to fewer delays from Newtown.”

Ms Adams says in essence, the Adelaide Road/Rugby Street intersection will briefly have five lanes, two for Adelaide Road, and three for the lights, providing better access into Newtown as well.

“However, safety for pedestrians and cyclists remains the key reason for the changes at this intersection.”

Ms Adams says she appreciates that last week’s lane marking changes, in preparation for the new signals, may have caused some confusion as motorists adjusted to the new layout. Therefore she urges motorists to take extra care over the next few weeks as they adapt to the altered intersection.

The new traffic signals will be set to flash yellow warning lights from tomorrow until the lights “go live” to draw motorists’ attention to the new intersection.

ENDS

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