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Auckland Transport is responding to an uproar from motorists following the first week of the new roading flyover being fully operational in Pakūranga. Last week, when people went back to work after the $152 million Rā Hihi flyover opened to traffic in both directions on Saturday, October 18, there was plenty of frustration expressed to the Times and on social media about traffic backlogs created by new road layout. Most concerns centred on the unexpected delays drivers were experiencing travelling from Panmure eastwards to Pakūranga, Howick and connecting suburbs. A Times reader who works in Panmure said his usual 20-minute commute home to Howick on Tuesday, October 21, “annoyingly took more than hour”. Another reader, Geoff Peterson, said he regularly drives back and forth across the Panmure Bridge from Highland Park two-to-three times daily. He explains what a lot of motorists endured. “The current configuration/layout of the new intersection built [at Pakūranga Road and flyover], and being finished off now, is very poorly thought out,” says Peterson. “It stops the traffic again moving up Pakūranga Road heading east, to allow traffic coming off the new flyover. “Yesterday [October 22], traffic queued all back along Pakūranga Road, all through the Panmure shopping area, and up past the Panmure train station bridge, along with all connecting roads, also congested. “It effectively gridlocked the entire Panmure main roads, making it more difficult for emergency vehicles to move through,” Peterson says. “Now with roading already reduced to a single lane along the Panmure Basin area, traffic congestion has been building up for years since these poorly designed changes were made and are now even worse. “While improving the congestion on Pakūranga [South-Eastern] Highway heading westward, it’s created a huge new problem coming back from Panmure,” Peterson says. AT’s programme director and Eastern Busway owner interface manager, Andy Huang, has told the Times it acknowledges motorists’ concerns and annoyance. “Opening the new flyover in Pakūranga has resulted in better journeys for citybound drivers, but we know there are delays at some times of the day as drivers adjust to the significant change and new layout. “We understand this is frustrating and thank people for their patience,” Huang says. “AT and its Eastern Busway project partners are monitoring traffic flows and fine-tuning traffic lights to help, particularly during the afternoon peak. “A static sign has been installed to encourage drivers to make full use of all three lanes when turning into Pakūranga Road from the flyover. “AT will continue to monitor the intersection at Pakūranga Road and the flyover to ensure it works,” Huang says. “There continues to be major construction work on the Eastern Busway requiring traffic changes, so variable message signs (VMS) are being moved so drivers know about upcoming lane changes sooner.” Huang adds that AT is encouraging commuters to change their way home to the east. “We’re ensuring that digital mapping and navigation apps such as Google Maps are updated and that GPS systems guide drivers to use the flyover instead of showing Panmure as the preferred route. “Construction is continuing at pace so all major works can end next year, and the busway can open in 2027, providing rapid public transport that is reliable,” Huang says. Another correspondent to the Times, David Lang, of Howick, says he’s stunned AT has “allowed a right turn off Pakūranga Road onto to Reeves Road bridge, the number of traffic lights installed and what is looking like a huge island being built”. “For those that travel home from work through the Panmure Bridge, only to find you now have only two forward lanes, two extra sets of lights, the trip has added at the moment at least 30 minutes, most of that from the main lights at the town centre,” says Lang. Peterson agrees with Lang, saying: “The new flyer is helpful moving to and from the SH1 motorway, and will help in this area. “However, there is a major design flaw. A smarter solution would be to have two lanes as always, allowing traffic to flow east up the hill, and west down the [Pakūranga Road] hill, with traffic lights only for those turning onto/coming off the flyover. “Yes, it would require some road widening to accommodate this, but it would be more effective, reducing congestion and cost for the residents and ratepayers using it,” says Peterson. “The Auckland Council has rezoned Pakūranga as high density and allowed the same going out east to all surrounding suburbs, so the population has increased, and will further, and the traffic volumes have also increased. “Reducing roading space and options for vehicles to leave and enter the area is not the solution. “People will not use the trains and buses, as town planners are hoping, as the destination people need to go to and from are not all along train and bus routes, due to Auckland’s geography,” Peterson says. “The people responsible for this need to look at the design and come up with a much better solution.” For recent Times’ stories on the Rā Hihi flyover at Pakūranga, read: https://www.times.co.nz/business/road-disruptions-forecast-for-summer
