Launched at the end of July, the Christchurch Transport Operations Centre (CTOC) is making it easier for everyone to move about the city while the earthquake-damaged roads are repaired.
A partnership between the NZ Transport Agency, Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury, CTOC operates in three key areas:
With more than 200 road works sites throughout the city, delays are inevitable and everyone is affected. What CTOC aims to do is keep all road users better information with up-to-date travel information on road works, travel delays, detours and road closures.
This helps everyone to plan their journey, avoiding road works and heavily congested areas to save themselves time and frustration.
CTOC monitors and manages the network - local roads and state highways - always looking to improve traffic flows on all routes, but in particular key commuter, public transport and freight routes.
One new initiative - real-time travel information on State Highways 1 and 76 - is expected to roll-out next month (December 2013).
Work is underway installing Bluetooth sensors along State Highway 1 from Belfast to Hornby and the new Christchurch Southern Motorway (SH76) from Hornby to Lyttelton.
The sensors will collect travel data and enable actual journey times to be displayed along the two routes on electronic messaging signs. It will also be available on the Transport for Christchurch(external link) website.
This monitoring will enable CTOC to better understand what is happening on the network and make changes to its operation to keep everyone moving. With better journey time information, motorists can make informed decisions about which routes to drive.
It is intended this system will be extended to other routes throughout the city.
Basic journey time information is already being collected on the route from the Christchurch International Airport to the Central City and from Hornby to Central City, along Riccarton Road. This information is continually reviewed to look at whether the network is performing better or worse and what measures may need to be taken to improve traffic flows.
A range of other initiatives are in the pipeline, including a system where road users’ sign up to get email and text alerts about the roads they regularly travel on. This will inform them about upcoming temporary works or emergency events on their routes and suggested detours to avoid delays.
Check out the Transport for Christchurch(external link) website - it is where you will find all the latest information on what is happening on the Christchurch transport network and where you can download free the app to keep you up-to-date with network changes when on the move.
