Metering A Dumb Idea Stolen From Somewhere Else

17 December 2004

Motorway Ramp Metering A Dumb Idea Stolen From Somewhere Else

“Vehicles clogging up city streets instead of motorways is no solution to anything,” said Michael Barnett, chief executive of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

Freight and other commercial traffic will be held up all over Auckland instead of just being delayed at Mangere where there is already a ramp metre.

Mr Barnett said that there was no evidence in Transit’s proposal that demonstrated that ramp metering would be a net gain to transport in Auckland.

“Waiting 10 minutes at an on-ramp will be worse for more motorists and local residents near motorway entrances whose streets will become clogged.

Another negative aspect is that the restricted movements in streets around motorway on- ramps will impede commercial traffic that currently use local roads and arterials instead of motorways.

“It will be good for the people who manage to get on the motorway, but a potential disaster when they get off,” said Mr Barnett.

Mr Barnett said that ramp metering might make sense if Auckland had a motorway network that provided options. “The root cause of our traffic problems is the lack of a strategic network with options.”

Transit could better spend its time getting organised and resourced to ensure the western corridor was completed as one complete project within the next five years.

“Taking 10 years off the current time line to build this corridor would make far more sense to easing Auckland’s gridlock than trying to introduce a so-called ramp metre ‘solution’ that simply transfers the problem to local roads,” concluded Mr Barnett.

ENDS

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