Source: Auckland Council
An innovative dynamic lane system on Whangaparāoa Road has provided much-needed time savings, helping over 25,000 vehicles travel smoothly each day.
Installed in 2018, this flexible lane utilises the median strip as an additional lane during peak times, allowing commuters to save up to ten minutes daily- despite a growing population.
Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Chair Alexis Poppelbaum says, “Whangaparāoa Road is a vital link for our community. By continuously investigating improvements, it eases traffic and ultimately gets our people to their destination quickly and safely.”
To ensure the road space is fully utilised, Auckland Transport is extending the operating hours of the dynamic lane in the morning to benefit more drivers.
“We’ve noticed this road often gets busy early in the morning, so they are maximizing the existing road space to save commuters precious time” says Alexis.
In the new year, Auckland Transport will be working with the community on extending the times of the dynamic lane in the afternoon.
Albany Ward Councillor John Watson highlights the need to utilise current infrastructure.
“Despite our region’s growing population, the time savings for commuters show the value of prioritising smarter use of our roads before committing to new developments.
“Dynamic laning has been a real success in reducing congestion on Whangaparāoa, this type of innovative thinking is cost effective and relatively quick to implement.”
This is part of a wider programme of new technology and improvements Auckland Transport, and the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi are implementing to help our existing roads keep up with the tens of thousands of extra vehicles being added to the roads each year.
