Traffic signals lighten the traffic load in Waitakere City

New traffic signals in Waitakere City are easing traffic flows and increasing the safety of road users. This initiative is the result of a collaborative effort between Waitakere City Council and the Traffic Management Unit (TMU).

The TMU, a joint collaboration between Transit New Zealand, Auckland City, North Shore City, Manukau City, Rodney District Council and Waitakere City Council, is responsible for integrated traffic management over the metropolitan area of Auckland.

With major road works in the area, the position and phasing of traffic lights, along with the installation of new, more effective lights, is tackling traffic in built up and troublesome areas.

“Traffic management initiatives have played a vital role in easing traffic flows within Waitakere City,” says Deputy Mayor Carolynne Stone. “Upgrades such as the Lincoln Rd widening project offer unique challenges to traffic management which we are endeavouring to meet.”

Successful traffic management has been a key feature of improvement works such as the Lincoln Rd upgrade, where the staggered intersection of Norval Rd and the Waitakere Hospital exit road leads across Lincoln Rd.

Traffic had been a problem around the hospital. A give way sign forced motorists exiting the hospital to find an opening in the traffic, meaning long queues building up behind the turning vehicles. The same problem existed for traffic turning right onto Lincoln Rd from Norval Rd.

Newly installed traffic lights on both exits now give motorists a priority turn onto Lincoln Rd. These lights successfully manage all traffic crossing the new four lane Lincoln Rd from the hospital and across the staggered intersection.

The lights also cater to the high volume of pedestrians in the area. The crossings installed as part of the improvements create a safer environment for pedestrians coming to and from both the hospital and nearby schools.

Waitakere City Council has, through the TMU, installed new, higher quality traffic lights with the TMU responsible for their operation.

The new Light Emitting Diode (LED) traffic lights carry with them a myriad of safety and operational benefits. Greater light output makes them more visible to motorists, while they use just 20% of the power taken up by the old quartz-halogen lights. They also require less maintenance and have a life span of at least five years; significantly longer than that of the older lights.

Waitakere City now leads the way in LED traffic light installations with a further five upgrades being made since the one at Lincoln Rd. The Waitakere City Council intends to continue the replacement of the older lights on an ongoing basis.

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