New signs stop traffic on one-way bridge

The new signs at Waitawheta Bridge. Supplied photo.

It's hoped new signs and road markings installed at the Waitawheta Bridge in Karangahake Gorge will help improve traffic flow and safety at the busy intersection.

Hauraki District Council Waihi Ward chair Max McLean says Google Maps identifies Waitawheta backroads as the quickest route from Auckland to Tauranga and directs travellers off the State Highway and over the one-lane bridge, which was never intended for large volumes of traffic.

'What you end up with is multiple vehicles clogging the highway waiting to go over the bridge, which is blocked by cars that have come down from Waitawheta Valley and are trying to get out onto the highway,” he says.

Now drivers approaching from Waitawheta Valley are met with stop signs and yellow road marking on the bridge surface to show there is no stopping on the bridge.

One-vehicle-at-a-time signs have also been installed to prevent cars queueing on the bridge.

After pushing for something to be done, Max is optimistic the new system will make a difference.

'The Waihi Ward has been working to make this happen for quite a while, so it was fantastic to drive down and see the new system in operation. If everyone does their part and obeys the signs I'm confident this will solve the problem.”

Waihi Ward Chair Max McLean at Waitawheta Bridge. Supplied photo.

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4 comments

McLaren Falls too

Posted on 13-12-2017 13:05 | By Christine1965

Could we get improved markings on the one way bridge at McLaren Falls please? In the summer, it is super busy with cars, plus pedestrians and bridge jumpers. As a resident of the area who uses the bridge nearly every day, the number of people who can't give way when they are obliged to is astounding. Cars also park all over the place, yellow lines included, and it won't be long before someone is hit due to the congestion and stupid behaviour.


How...

Posted on 13-12-2017 17:50 | By morepork

... will that work? I sit at the Waitawheta end of the bridge waiting to see a break in the gorge traffic, see it is clear, but by the time I have covered the bridge, it isn't any more... If traffic volume is increasing why aren't the bridge and the gorge roads being extended to cope? Or did I miss something and they will allow ONE car at the gorge end of the bridge to wait for an opportunity to merge?


Hay, Morepork, I thought that your type only came out at night

Posted on 13-12-2017 23:34 | By The Caveman

BUT its good to see that your NIGHT vision is the same as my daytime vision - NO entering the bridge unless you can see a GAP in the traffic going 100km on either side of the bridge exit. NAH, time the traffic people got real. Sit on one side of the bridge and try to spot a gap in the State Highway traffic that will give you the time to zip across the bridge and into the GAP! NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN - DREAMLAND..


@ Capt Caveman

Posted on 15-12-2017 16:13 | By morepork

This morepork is vigilant both night and day... :-) But you'd need to be pretty blind to NOT see the flaws in what they are proposing...


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