EXCLUSIVE: Overhaul coming for frustrating flyover intersection

“The Pakūranga Road and Rā Hihi intersection will be upgraded to allow three lanes through it, as part of a range of actions under way to help traffic heading towards Howick to flow better,” says Auckland Transport. Photos supplied Mark Barber / Anton Benadie

There’s good news, and not so good news, if you’re in a hurry to see corrections made to the troublesome transport junction where the new $152 million Rā Hihi Flyover intersects with Pakūranga Road – but they are coming, as Auckland Transport reveals to PJ TAYLOR.

EXCLUSIVE: Reflecting what east Auckland motorists have been writing in the hundreds of response comments to recent Eastern Times’ stories about the eight-week-old intersection with Rā Hihi and Pakūranga Road, Auckland Transport (AT) is signalling there are serious problems with it.

AT has told the Times there’s a plan to rectify how it operates, but that much needed and many would say urgent work is not starting until sometime in the new year.

AT and its Eastern Busway construction partners are urgently “carrying out investigations on an improved Pakūranga Road and Rā Hihi intersection design that works for all road users including drivers, bus passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists”, it says.

“The preferred design option for the improved intersection will also aim to ease the left turn so drivers don’t need to slow down as much and maintain the cycleway within the existing corridor,” says AT.

“The Pakūranga Road and Rā Hihi intersection will be upgraded to allow three lanes through it, as part of a range of actions under way to help traffic heading towards Howick to flow better.”

The improvements include making alterations to the sharp dog-leg corner at the intersection for traffic travelling from the direction of Panmure and Riverina eastwards.

“The preferred design option for the improved intersection will also aim to ease the left turn so drivers don’t need to slow down as much and maintain the cycleway within the existing corridor,” says AT.

“The final design is subject to detailed design work and reviews to confirm the geometry of the left turn, safe sight lines and distances, pavement and kerb details, safety requirements, traffic lights and signage.”

AT is unable at this stage to tell the Times of a works’ commencement date, saying only that “construction is targeted to start in the new year”.

AT says the rectification works project will also “be reviewed against the objectives of the Government Policy Statement for Land Transport and the Eastern Busway business case”.

However, AT is unable at this stage to tell the Times of a works’ commencement date, saying only that “construction is targeted to start in the new year”.

“Although drivers using the new Rā Hihi (Reeves Road) Flyover are enjoying quicker journeys, there’s been delays for evening peak traffic heading towards Howick on Pakūranga Road [from the Panmure direction] following this major change to the traffic network.”

AT also admits to have been taken by surprise by the amount of vehicles travelling through the area, which it has previously described as one of the country’s busiest junctions before the flyover opened.

“Further analysis of the current traffic shows higher volumes of vehicles on Pakūranga Road than modelled in the original design,” it says.

“This is due to several factors, including temporary lane closures for ongoing Eastern Busway construction and higher traffic growth than expected.

“Other issues contributing to traffic delays are the new intersection layout being unfamiliar so drivers slow down, road markings highlighting which lanes to use being covered, and queue jumping that disrupts traffic flows.”

AT’s acting director of infrastructure and place, Jane Small, says many motorists are still using their old route to get to Howick, such as along the Waipuna Basin and Pakūranga Road from Panmure, rather than the new Rā Hihi Flyover route.

On the Pakūranga to Botany section of the $1.3 billion Eastern Busway super transport project, drainage and pavement work is well under way on Ti Rākau Drive.

“We encourage people to try the new flyover which is designed to be more direct and be the main traffic route to and from Howick.

“Improvements to the intersection design are one of a number of actions aimed at easing traffic issues at this location.”

Small says the Eastern Busway construction team is also “making changes” to the building programme on Ti Rākau Drive.

New temporary traffic layouts and alternative routes with signage are being introduced, “whilst we continue to adjust traffic lights to optimise vehicle flow”.

“We thank people for their patience,” says Small.

She’s also suggesting east Aucklanders consider using alternative forms of transport other than their private motor vehicles.

“Although public transport may not work for everyone, other options people could consider for travel include frequent bus services available that make use of the Pakūranga to Panmure busway which is separate from traffic, as well as the Half Moon Bay ferry service, which also has connecting bus services,” Small says.

Other Eastern Busway construction matters

On the Pakūranga to Botany section of the $1.3 billion super transport project, Small says drainage and pavement work is well under way on Ti Rākau Drive.

The construction site between Ti Rakau Drive and Pakuranga Plaza, where the new Pakuranga bus station is being built.

There’ll be a road closure in the Pakūranga Plaza/Pakūranga town centre vicinity during the holiday season directly after Christmas.

“During the summer break, a section of Ti Rākau Drive from Aylesbury Street to William Roberts Road will close and during this time work is planned to be carried out 24/7 from December 27 to mid-January with a detour via Cortina Place,” Small says.

“By closing the road, we’ve condensed several months of overnight work into just over two weeks, minimising the long-term impact on road users, stakeholders and the local community.”

Small says more information on the Eastern Busway summer, post-Christmas works programme “will be shared in the coming weeks”.