Traffic signals coming
The New Zealand Transport Agency is designing traffic signals for the onelane Albert Town bridge, on State Highway 6 near Wanaka, to improve the traffic flow.
The bridge, on the main QueenstownWest Coast tourist route, at present relies on signs indicating which vehicles have right of way and on the courtesy of drivers.
In 2017 the bridge had an average vehicle count of 4702 per day.
Asked what factors would determine when the bridge would be replaced with a new twolane bridge, southern media manager Frances Adank said traffic volume was not a ‘‘single trigger’’.
‘‘There are many singlelane bridges which have high traffic volumes spread over a day where there is little conflict, safety issues or pressure from either side due to the relatively even spread of vehicles using these bridges in both directions.
‘‘ But other singlelane bridges have peak hours or even peak times of the year which do create pressure on either side, where the constant traffic flow in one direction means noone on the opposite side can get across.
‘‘In this situation we can implement traffic management.’’
She gave as an example the Warbirds over Wanaka International Airshow’s effect on the bridge over the Upper Orari River in Canterbury, almost 300km from Wanaka.
During the weekend of the show, the agency managed traffic crossing the bridge with stopgo signs to ensure vehicles not travelling towards the show could still cross.