6 May 2014 | NZ Transport Agency - Southern Region

First measure to help ease Northern Motorway congestion

The first of the short-term measures to help ease congestion on Christchurch’s Northern Motorway is being installed tomorrow night (Wednesday 7 May).

Traffic bollards (as pictured above) are being placed along the painted medium at the Tram Road onramp to help improve traffic flow onto the motorway during peak travel times.

NZ Transport Agency Southern Regional Director Jim Harland says Tram Road has been identified as one of the two areas where there are significant problems with queuing and traffic merging.

“The bollards will prevent traffic from trying to enter the motorway traffic stream before the end of the on-ramp which has been creating problems with queuing on Tram Road as far back as South Eyre Road.

“With motorists having to travel to the end of the on-ramp before being able to merge, there should be a better flow of vehicles onto the motorway, easing queuing,” he says.

“The most efficient and effective use of on-ramps is when vehicles use the full length of the available on-ramp and then merge at the end like a zip.”

Motorists experiencing delays because of heavy congestion on Christchurch’s northern motorway during peak times are also being asked to be patient, courteous and adopt good driving behaviours.

Mr Harland says good driving behaviours, such as being alert to what is happening on the road, merging like a zip and using all available lane capacity, has a significant impact on keeping traffic moving.

“If we can keep traffic flowing, preventing stop-go driving, everyone gets to their destination quicker, with less delays and frustration.”

The Transport Agency and its partners, the Christchurch Transport Operations Centre, Waimakariri District Council, Christchurch City Council and ECan, are working on other short-term solutions which it is hoped to introduce in coming weeks.

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