Paekākāriki Hill Rd closure saves SH1 drivers 30 minutes in travel time

Tuesday, 11 December 2018

The extra traffic using Paekākāriki Hill Rd at peak times are at a higher risk of accidents, both on the steep, winding road, and when merging with traffic at Paekākāriki, says NZTA transport agency systems manager Mark Owen.

The closure of Paekākāriki Hill Rd to cut travel times on State Highway 1 appears to have worked, with trips out of Wellington shaved by 30 minutes during the evening peak.

And following the success, the New Zealand Transport Agency is not ruling out making the closure a permanent tactic to ease traffic in the future.

Traffic merging from the road onto SH1 from Paekākāriki can cause a traffic bottleneck.

The agency has trialled the road closure on two of the past three Fridays, shutting the road north of Wellington between 2pm and 7pm.

The idea is to see if removing traffic merging onto SH1 from the road at Paekākāriki would reduce congestion and make travel quicker, while also reducing the likelihood of accidents.

Traffic can often back up at the Plimmerton roundabout during northbound journeys in the evening peak. (File photo)

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'The extra traffic using Paekākāriki Hill Rd at peak times is at a higher risk of accidents, both on the steep, winding road, and when merging with traffic at Paekākāriki on SH1,' NZTA regional systems manager manager Mark Owen said.

Paekākāriki Hill Rd road connects with SH1 in the north, and Grays Rd, which runs between Pauatahanui and Plimmerton, in the south.

The first two trials took place on November 28 and December 7, with two more to follow on December 14 and 21.

During the trials, journey times on SH1 between Plimmerton and Mackays Crossing - the section adjacent to the closed road - were an average of 30 minutes shorter between 5pm and 7pm, Owen said.

The effect was not as noticeable between 2pm and 5pm.

But for each minute saved by drivers on SH1, a minute was lost for drivers unable to use the closed road.

About 10,000 vehicles travel on SH1 between Plimmerton and Mackays Crossing between 2pm and 7pm each day, compared with 800 vehicles typically recorded on Paekākāriki Hill Rd, Owen said.

'It is recognised that road users [normally] using Paekākāriki Hill Rd are detoured during the trial closures, and are experiencing up to 30-minute delays, with the longer delays being between 3pm and 5pm.'

The agency would make a decision early next year on whether to make the closure permanent, he said.

'Following the completion of the fourth trial before Christmas, the information collected will be fully assessed and used to support any longer-term decisions in the New Year.'

Kāpiti Coast District Council infrastructure services group manager Sean Mallon said vehicles often used Paekākāriki Hill Rd as a shortcut to get on and off SH1,causing considerable delays for traffic in both directions.

'We're hoping the closure will result in improvements to both safety and congestion.

'After Christmas, an online feedback questionnaire will gather comments from travellers and Paekākāriki Hill Rd residents and businesses to help guide us in decisions on any future closures.'

Residents of the road, and other people working or visiting there, will be allowed to enter from SH1.

But those wanting to use the road to get onto SH1 will not be able to do so, and will instead need to use an alternative route such as Grays Rd.

Emergency services will have full access to the road, which will be opened in case of an emergency.