Traffic signals
Traffic signals ensure everyone (including pedestrians and cyclists) has the opportunity to cross or turn onto the highway at a very busy and complex intersection. Better traffic flow management via the Wellington Traffic Operations Centre will:
- Reduced congestion at this intersection, which is a pinch point on the road network.
- Provide more predictable traffic wait times in all directions.
- Give some bus priority for buses entering and exiting the Bus Hub and turning left from SH6 Ladies Mile to SH6 Kawarau Road.
We need traffic signals to more efficiently manage the growing volume of traffic, cyclists and pedestrians in Queenstown.
How we manage traffic
There are a number of things we will do to manage traffic through the area during construction, including:
- Providing information around journey times to allow people to defer travel or consider alternative ways to travel.
- Keeping one lane of traffic open each way at all times on SH6 and SH6A.
- Keeping a roundabout or temporary traffic signals in operation at the SH6/ 6A intersection during construction of the new intersection (the temporary roundabout/traffic signals will move around with the staging of the works) until the new intersection is ready for use.
- We will not be closing the state highway or diverting traffic off the state highway onto local roads during the day when the roads are already busy. Some night work will be needed to move utilities across the state highway.
- Providing alternative cycling and pedestrian paths if the usual paths are not available.
- Continuing to monitor traffic flows so that these can be understood and managed throughout the project.
- Undertaking night works for specific activities which can’t be completed during the day due to impact on traffic flows.
The team recognise that the SH6/ 6A intersection is a key part of the transport network with limited alternative routes that can be used to get into Queenstown. We will be doing our best to keep traffic disruption to a minimum but given the nature of the works there will be periods of delay that cannot be avoided.
We have been engaging with local businesses and we will continue to do this as we get closer to construction works starting so that we can best manage temporary access/parking impacts and keep businesses updated around temporary construction staging and traffic management changes.
We will use signage to help customers navigate through the area so they can continue to visit businesses. As we move into construction there will be team members door knocking, circulating information leaflets and providing updates on social media and via our e-newsletter.
We understand the impact this work will have on the community. Our teams also live and work in this community. We know any works along SH6 and 6A, or anywhere within the district, affects residents, visitors, and freight operators but this is not always something we can avoid.
Our sequencing of the construction and thought around temporary traffic management has been influenced by our understanding that the SH6/ 6A Frankton intersection is an important connection point for the whole Queenstown area and beyond. We must keep the intersection functioning and maintain one way traffic flows in each direction during construction of the intersection layout.
Wellington Traffic Operations
The Wellington Traffic Operations Centre (WTOC) controls all of the traffic signals in Wellington and cities in the South Island including Queenstown. WTOC can manually override the signals remotely and observe what is going on through the various intersection cameras. The traffic lights also have some inbuilt smart ability to adapt to changing daily traffic patterns. This is done by a special ‘loop’ installed in the road, which detects the density of traffic on the approach to the intersection.
During large events WTOC can manually control the traffic signals in real time to ensure traffic flows well through the intersection.
