27 September 2016 | AUCKLAND & NORTHLAND

Traffic to move onto widened Causeway citybound

Traffic using the Causeway section of Auckland’s Northwestern Motorway will benefit from extra lanes from this week in what’s a significant milestone towards finishing its upgrade.

The newly widened section of the motorway will be opened to four lanes of traffic and a bus shoulder lane citybound, between Te Atatu and Great North Road.

The layout changes will take place in two stages with the extra lane scheduled to open to traffic between Rosebank Road and Great North this evening (Tuesday 27 September).

The second stage will open from Te Atatu through to Great North Road on Wednesday 28 September. Both stages are weather dependent.

The left lane will become an “exit only” lane to Great North Road.

The extra citybound lanes are in addition to the four lanes already open northbound from Rosebank Road to Te Atatu.

The NZ Transport Agency’s Auckland Highway Manager Brett Gliddon says the fourth lane will help create more reliable journey times for motorists and the dedicated bus shoulder lane will provide more direct trips for bus passengers.

“We’re grateful for everyone’s patience as we’ve balanced keeping the motorway open for our customers at the same time as carrying out this important upgrade. The extra lanes will provide added capacity ahead of the opening of the Waterview Connection early next year,” says Brett Gliddon the Transport Agency’s Auckland Highway Manager.

“After almost four years of construction and many lane switches and layout changes it’s great to see this work so close to completion. The final road surfacing will be carried out over summer and through the night to reduce the impact on road and bus users.”

The Causeway project is widening and raising 4.8km of motorway by 1.5 metres. It will prevent flooding on the lanes from the nearby marine reserve and create a safer and more reliable route for all road users. It’s a key component in completing the Western Ring Route, an efficient alternative route to use instead of State Highway 1.

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