SH2 Elizabeth Street roundabout lights in use

Photo: John Borren.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) will start roundabout metering at the SH2 Elizabeth Street roundabout from today, to help improve the southbound traffic flow on Takitimu Drive in the morning peak.

From 7am Thursday April 11, the traffic lights will be operating on SH2 Takitimu Drive northbound off-ramp to the Elizabeth Street roundabout. The traffic lights will have orange and red lights, but no green.

Bay of Plenty Transport System Manager Rob Campbell says the traffic lights on SH2 will be phased to ease queues for SH2 southbound traffic during the weekday morning peak.

'The lights will only operate when high traffic queues in the morning on the SH2 southbound approach activate the metering. When this happens, the lights on the northbound approach will turn orange then red to stop the vehicles, allowing SH2 southbound traffic to enter the roundabout.”

Give way rules still apply when entering the roundabout.

'Most of the time the traffic lights won't be activated, except when high traffic queues on the southbound leg activate them, then the traffic lights will turn red to stop the vehicles, allowing traffic from the busiest road, in this case SH2 Takitimu Drive traffic heading south, to enter the roundabout. The red phase is short and will turn off before a large queue is created,” says Rob.

He says roundabout metering is designed to improve the traffic flow at morning peak times, and allow traffic from the busiest road to enter the intersection.

'This is the same type of system that is operating at SH29A Barkes Corner roundabout, and will be trialled for up to 18 months, and may become permanent,” he says.

Roundabout metering was reintroduced at SH29A Barkes Corner in December 2018 and has been operating well, with improved traffic flow and reduced travel times for most.

The roundabout metering projects are part of a wider programme being implemented across the region to improve safety and journey times.

For more information, visit www.nzta.govt.nz/elizabethstreet

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2 comments

Elizabeth St Lights

Posted on 11-04-2019 12:28 | By tia

Noting in the Sunlive poll that the traffic lights are not going to solve the congestion. When are roading engineers going to stop putting a sticking plaster on a major traffic crisis? As an example, just look at the problems on SH 29 and 36 since The Crossing opened and The Lakes was developed. The impact of these developments have been going for years but Roading Engineers reactive and not proactive in doing anything. It appears they have an attitude of "Let wait for the problem and we will then look at doing something when it happens". Elizabeth St no different.


Roundabout Metering

Posted on 11-04-2019 13:40 | By Jiz

You must be joking regarding Barks Cnr. Traffic heading Sth most days is crazy and even worse in the afternoons. Do you really think this is going to make a difference at Elizabeth Street. Wasting rate payers money.


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