MEDIA RELEASE

TRANSIT NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL OFFICE

19 October 2007

Transit begins installation of more electronic traffic information signs

Motorists eager to know the status of Wellington’s state highway road conditions will soon have the answers displayed on more large electronic signs so they can choose to delay or reroute their journey accordingly.

Transit Central Operations Manager Mark Owen says Transit has started installing the large electronic variable message signs (VMS) at nine locations in, or on the approach, to Wellington to advise motorists of any road conditions that may affect their travel in/out of the region.

“These signs allow messages to be displayed in real time to advise motorists of such things as incidents, delays, road closures on the highway or to indicate when an alternative route should be used,” Mr Owen says.

“This will be a bonus for motorists to make informed travel decisions before becoming stuck in a queue at a time when they may not easily be able to get out again. The electronic signs are in addition to the ones currently operating on Ngauranga Gorge and along Mana Esplanade.

Mr Owen says the signs have been strategically positioned across the network at key locations. Signs will be located mainly on the state highway, in particular on either side of Rimutaka Hill and Mt Victoria Tunnel as well as on SH5 at Woodville, SH1 at Kimberley (southbound) and other locations along SH2 in the Hutt Valley.

“These signs, combined with Transit’s website current road conditions information, will provide real-time information to road users so they are better notified of conditions and have improved trip reliability.”

Mr Owen says the signs will display two or four line messages, which rotate to display a maximum of up to eight lines of information. They typically display information of what has happened, where, what effect this has on the highway and what the advice is for motorists. For example it may show the words “snow Rimutakas, road closed” or “roadworks Mt Victoria Tunnel, road closed, detour ahead”.

He says the decision of what information is displayed on these electronic messages boards is based on safety. The messages are therefore very short so the maximum information can be given in the shortest timeframe.

The installation of the signs began at the beginning of this week and is expected to be finished at the end of the month, weather dependent. Motorists may note trial messages displayed during the initial testing of the signs before they are fully operational.

ends

© Scoop Media