Motorists are advised that temporary lane changes at the Takanini southbound off-ramp on Auckland’s Southern Motorway may cause queueing and delays during afternoon peak periods.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises southbound motorists on weekday afternoons to consider leaving the motorway at the earlier Hill Road exit or the Papakura exit after Takanini.
Weather permitting, the temporary changes at the Takanini southbound off-ramp will be in place for five weeks to provide workspace to build the upgraded off-ramp intersection with Great South Road.
The off-ramp changes will fix a longstanding speed and safety issue for traffic exiting the motorway and improve the overall flow of traffic through the Takanini interchange and Great South Road.
Previously, the off-ramp included an unrestricted eastbound lane directly onto Great South Road, but the new alignment now requires this traffic to join Great South Road at a new ‘Give Way’ point.
When construction is completed, the southbound off-ramp will expand to end at a fully signalised intersection with Great South Road with two lanes each for both right and left turning traffic.
“We can see there are queues forming on the motorway before the off-ramp during peak times. To reduce queueing, we suggest motorists use either Hill Road exit or continue on to Papakura and access Great South Road from there,” says Waka Kotahi Senior Manager Project Delivery Andrew Thackwray.
“If you can, avoid the off-ramp or delay your journey to after the peak period.”
“If you do use the off-ramp, be patient, slow down and be aware of the new lane alignment and road markings.”
Since the changes were made last week, the traffic lights on Great South Road have been adjusted to allow a longer green phase for traffic turning right from the off-ramp, also benefitting left turning traffic. New line markings have also been added on the off-ramp to provide additional queueing space.
The off-ramp intersection realignment is part of the Southern Corridor Improvements project which is upgrading the Takanini interchange and has added additional lanes on SH1 between Manukau and Papakura to improve traffic flow and reduce peak time congestion.
The graphic shows the off ramp for southbound traffic and the Takanini interchange in its completed state.
Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:
