Far North’s first set of traffic signals switched on today

The Far North region’s first set of traffic signals has been switched on in Paihia today.

The responsive traffic lights at the pedestrian crossing on Paihia’s waterfront are designed to provide a better balance between pedestrian safety and traffic moving through the town centre.

The NZ Transport Agency says the upgrade to the crossing on State Highway 11 is in response to the growing number of tourists visiting Paihia.

“The biggest change for people to get used to is that there’s no green man to tell you to cross, instead it’s designed to encourage pedestrians to cross unless the red signal tells them not to,” says the Transport Agency’s System Design Manager, Brett Gliddon.

“We will monitor the area closely over the coming few weeks to make sure it’s working well and we hope all road users will be patient while everyone gets used to the new system.”

“The signals use detectors to measure pedestrian movements and help people cross the road safely. It responds to the pace of the person crossing to extend the crossing time if it’s needed or cancels the pedestrian phase if someone decides not to cross.”

“This improves safety for pedestrians and removes frustrations for motorists because it means traffic isn’t waiting for periods when there’s no one crossing.”

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