| New high-tech facility to keep Auckland traffic moving |
30 April 2010  The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has officially opened a new traffic operations centre in Auckland which will better manage traffic and keep drivers informed about conditions on New Zealand's state highway motorway and road network. The Core team built a strategy around the opening of the new centre which included an opening event and regular communication with stakeholders and NZTA staff. MP for North Shore Dr Wayne Mapp, North Shore City Mayor Andrew Williams Auckland City Mayor John Banks and Manukau City Mayor Len Brown were all dignitaries and guest speakers at the event. The centre operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. More than 200 closed circuit cameras transmit live images into the control room for operators who monitor traffic flows, manage roadway incidents and adjust the region’s 700 sets of traffic signals. The centre also provides information for traffic updates for radio and the web, and roadside and motorway electronic messages. The new centre, based at the Smales Farm Technology Park in Takapuna, replaces a previous facility beside the Northern Motorway (SH1) near the Stafford Road off-ramp at Northcote. The centre was officially opened by MP for the North Shore, Wayne Mapp by activating the biggest video wall in New Zealand that will be used by operators to manage 8,000 kilometres of Auckland roads and motorways, as well as roads in Wellington and Christchurch. The NZTA's Regional Director for Auckland, Wayne McDonald, says the centre's primary focus will be Auckland, but it is designed to be the hub for the planned expansion of NZTA services for drivers throughout New Zealand. "We need to expand so that we can keep pace with the growth of Auckland and continue to provide the best service possible for everyone using the city’s roads," says Mr McDonald. Providing reliable travel information helps to avoid crashes, clears those that do occur more quickly and safely, and makes more efficient use of the existing motorway system by reducing travel times, energy consumption and pollutants. The Northern Busway and Northern Gateway Toll Road operations are also run from the centre. |