Traffic engineering experts to discuss V8 street race

The Recreation and Events Committee today endorsed the approach the City and Transit NZ are planning to successfully manage traffic issues – if Auckland wins its bid to host a V8 Supercar series street race from April 2006.

The first meeting of traffic engineering experts is to be held in the city tomorrow (Friday 2 April), and includes world renowned Queensland-based engineering firm Weathered Howe.

Weathered Howe designed both the Gold Coast Indy V8 Street race in Surfers Paradise and the V8 Supercar street race Canberra and is considered an expert in circuit design and traffic management.

The suggested approach will draw on the successful model of traffic management used during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Councillor Scott Milne, Chairperson of the Recreation and Events Committee says that the city’s traffic engineers are working collaboratively with Transit officers and have six months to solve the traffic issues.

“The major remaining issue with the street race is traffic management and officers will need to assure the committee and the city they can solve traffic problems, or we won't have the event,” says Mr Milne.

“Transit will be working closely with us, looking for solutions. We will be working collaboratively. Officers are quietly confident they can solve the problems - and they'll need to produce a good solution for this to progress, should we win the status of preferred bidder from AVESCO later this month.”

Mr Milne says the final traffic management proposal will be critical to Auckland staging the race.

“I won't vote for the city to progress with hosting the event unless there is a workable plan to solve the traffic issues,” Mr Milne says. Ends

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