MEDIA RELEASE
17 May, 2018 | AUCKLAND & NORTHLAND
Friday night transformation of intersection on SH20A to Auckland airport
The NZ Transport Agency says the transformation of the Landing Drive roundabout on SH20A to Auckland Airport that was
postponed last weekend will go ahead this weekend – with one important difference.
The changes will happen on Friday night, 18 May, not on Saturday night as was planned last week.
The roundabout will be transformed overnight Friday into an intersection controlled by traffic lights, with further work
continuing over the weekend.
The intersection will be closed on Friday night from 8pm to allow final preparations, including lane marking. It will
reopen in daylight at 8am on Saturday morning as an 8-lane intersection for north and southbound traffic, with traffic
lights controlling all movements through the intersection.
“Motorists will need to comply with the new signals and allow plenty of time to stop on the red light,” says the
Transport Agency’s Senior Manager Project Delivery, Chris Hunt.
Work will continue to build traffic islands, median strips and lay the final road surface. This work is planned to be
finished by August 2018, says Mr Hunt.
Changes to the intersection were necessary because the heavy traffic flows to and from the airport meant the roundabout
did not function efficiently.
The new eight lane intersection will increase capacity and improve safety and journey reliability to, from and within
the Airport area. The Landing Drive intersection is where SH20A (also known as George Bolt Memorial Drive) ends and
transitions into the airport road network.
The intersection will have 8 lanes for north and south-bound traffic flow with dedicated left and right turn lanes.
Landing Drive and Verissimo Drive will also have dedicated turning and straight through lanes. This will improve the
flow of traffic entering and exiting the industrial areas. The upgrade supports the significant traffic growth and
development in the wider Airport Oaks area.
The upgrade of the Landing Drive intersection is part of ongoing improvements to SH20A, which is the primary route
between Auckland Airport, its business district, and the greater Auckland area. Other improvements include the upgraded
Kirkbride intersection, with its trench underpass separating local and airport traffic.
See more information on SH20A improvements at https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh20a-to-airport/
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