Triangle Road & Makora Road, Massey - Intersection improvements Triangle Road & Makora Road, Massey - Intersection improvements

Cycling safety

• Multiple requests for improved cycling infrastructure on both Triangle Road and Makora Road, including requests for raised physical protection of the cycle lanes, better facilities for cycle riders turning right into Makora Road, upgrading the narrow cycle lanes and connecting the Triangle Road and Makora Road cycle lanes as these roads are busy access ways to the North Western pathway. We have investigated these options however the streams and culverts under both roads restrict the changes we can make without culvert extensions and road widening. Our preferred safety option is to widen the roads; however, it would be a major investment and the funding required to do this is not available. The proposed traffic lights will control all movements at the intersection, including cyclists, and is expected to improve safety for everyone. As part of the detailed design phase we will also investigate raising the whole intersection onto a speed table to help reduce speed on all approaches.
  Physical separators to protect cyclists are not feasible as the road is not wide enough. Triangle Road is an over-dimension route for trucks and other large vehicles and the existing traffic lane width is already narrow and cannot be reduced further. If physical separators were installed, the cycle lane would be reduced to less than one meter wide, which is not safe.
  Better right turn facilities into Makora Road for cyclists and/or upgrading, widening or extending the Makora Road cycle lane would also require culvert extension and road widening.
• Request for better “Cyclist” signs on Makora Road as there are not enough and they are hard for drivers to see, which makes it dangerous for cyclists. The “Cyclist” signs on Makora Road will be upgraded to the current standard as part of the proposal. They will help drivers to be more aware of cyclists.
• Request that the bus stop on Triangle Road is moved into the vehicle lane and separated from the cycle lane. The bus stop cannot be moved into the vehicle lane to keep a separated cycle lane. People getting on and off the bus would need to cross the cycle lane where cyclists may be present. This is not considered safe.
• Concern that traffic lights are not ideal for cyclists to be safe travelling south down Triangle Road hill, or for people walking. Our investigations identified a crash trend where turning vehicles on Makora or Triangle Road failed to give way and collided with cyclists travelling downhill on Triangle Road. The proposed traffic lights are expected to address this issue and improve safety by controlling all movements at the intersection, including cyclists and people walking. We will continue to monitor the operation and safety performance of this intersection once the proposal is implemented.
• Suggestion that the bottom of Makora Road is wide enough to have one lane for cars and another for a left-turning, protected cycle lane that connects with the cycle lane further up Makora Road. There is not enough space for a cycle lane on this part of Makora Road. We cannot reduce the traffic lane widths any further as both Triangle Road and Makora Road are bus routes and the lanes need to be wide enough for turning buses. During the detailed design process, we will investigate installing a green lead-in cycle lane and advanced stop box on Makora Road near the intersection. This would help improve visibility of cyclists and give them priority when making the left turn.
• Suggestion for a raised speed bump before the lights on the Triangle Road south-bound lane to help slow traffic and make it safer for cyclists. This part of Triangle Road is on a slope and is also a heavy traffic route making it unsuitable for an isolated speed bump. Instead, we are installing a skid-resistant surface on this approach to the intersection to help raise driver awareness and slow down their speed. During the detailed design process, we will investigate raising the whole intersection onto a platform to encourage safer speeds through the intersection.
• Question about the actual number of cyclists on the Makora/Triangle cycle ways now the cycle way on the North-Western motorway is open. We surveyed cyclist numbers on Triangle Road during the morning and afternoon peak times of 7am to 9am and 2pm to 6pm. In the eastbound lane there were 31 cyclists in the morning and 3 cyclists in the afternoon. In the westbound lane there were 5 cyclists in the morning and 25 cyclists in the afternoon.

Pedestrian safety

• Multiple requests to install the third “missing” pedestrian crossing leg on Triangle Road. Suggestion to locate the crossing on the south side of the Triangle Road intersection so it connects with the bigger footpath on the east side of Makora Road. This location would be safer for children as the footpath on the west side of Makora Road is very narrow. We have not been able to include a pedestrian crossing leg on the south side of Triangle Road. There are several driveways here that are very close to the intersection and the barrier over the culvert means the footpath is narrow. These restrictions limit where it is suitable to locate a crossing and have safe space for people to wait to cross. The footpath on the west corner of Makora Road will be widened as part of the proposal.
• Request for raised pedestrian crossings and more signs to highlight pedestrians. Both Triangle Road and Makora Road are on a slope and Triangle Road is also a heavy traffic route. This means they are not suitable for raised pedestrian crossings. We aim to improve safety by highlighting the intersection and using the traffic lights to control all movements, including cyclists and people walking. During the detailed design process, we will investigate raising the whole intersection, including the pedestrian crossings, onto a platform to encourage safer speeds through the intersection.
• Request to upgrade the safety barriers above the streams to make this route safer for pedestrians. All barriers over the culverts on both Triangle Road and Makora Road will be upgraded to safety barriers. They will be designed to meet the safety standards required for the type of road.
• Suggestion that a light phase for pedestrians is not necessary as it is not a busy crossing and the pedestrian crossing could be activated by pushing a button. We can confirm that the pedestrian crossing phase of the traffic lights will only be activated by someone pressing the call button.

Makora Road traffic

• Multiple concerns about the single traffic lane on Makora Road for turning both right and left into Triangle Road. Cars form two lanes anyway and often mount the footpath to do so. We completed a traffic modelling assessment to understand how the intersection would perform if traffic lights were installed. The results showed traffic would flow similar to or slightly better than it does now, even with only one approach lane on Makora Road.
  A vehicle tracking assessment, including for large vehicles, confirms we are unable to reduce the traffic lane widths any further. Makora Road is a bus route and is not wide enough to fit two approach lanes that are suitable for turning buses.
• Multiple concerns about the long queues of traffic that back up along Makora Road in peak times as cars wait to turn. This makes it very hard to turn from Marbella Drive into Makora Road. Backed up traffic can be all the way from Royal Road to the Triangle Road intersection. To address the problem of backed-up traffic blocking the intersection, we will add ‘keep clear’ road markings at the Marbella Drive and Makora Road intersection. This will encourage drivers to keep the space clear and help traffic to enter and exit Marbella Drive safely. Traffic modelling showed that any queue on Makora Road is unlikely to reach as far as the motorway off-ramp.
• Multiple suggestions for two lanes and Give Way sign, Stop sign, free turn or other prioritisation of left turning traffic from Makora Road into Triangle Road so only right turns are controlled by lights. Traffic can back up along Makora Road at peak times from Triangle Road all the way to the motorway offramp or Royal Road. A lane for free left turns is not a feasible option as the lane widths on Makora Road must be wide enough for buses. The culvert and stream under the road mean there is not enough space to widen the road. Also, slip lanes are not controlled by traffic lights which makes it less safe for pedestrians crossing the road.
  We completed a traffic modelling assessment to understand how the intersection would perform if traffic lights were installed. The results showed traffic on Makora Road would flow similar to or slightly better than it does now, even with only one approach lane on Makora Road. Any queue on Makora Road is unlikely to reach the motorway off-ramp.
• Concern that it is already difficult to travel along Makora Road as there are many traffic islands, lane merges and traffic lights. By installing traffic lights, we aim to improve safety by controlling all movements at the intersection. This will also help create a regular flow of traffic. Makora Road and Triangle Road is a high-risk intersection with 13 crashes reported from 2014 to 2018, 2 of which resulted in serious injury. There is a clear crash trend that vehicles on these roads fail to give way when turning and collide with cyclists on Triangle Road. The proposed traffic lights aim to address this issue and improve safety for everyone.

Bus stop

• Concern that the bus stop at 143/145 Triangle Road is being moved and the new location will obstruct access and is too close to the entrance to the community centre. The proposed minor bus stop move is to allow for a wide enough lane for vehicles to pass the bus stop without entering into the new, longer right turn lane. Any future driveway at 145 Triangle Road is expected to operate the same way one would now. It is also unlikely that the relocated bus stop will affect the driveway at the community centre as the lane width at the driveway location will stay the same as it is now.
• Suggestion to extend the footpath to in front of 149/151 Triangle and the bus stop could be moved there. Relocating the bus stop to this location would require building a new footpath, possibly installing a new retaining wall and the removal of trees. The extent of this work is considered outside the scope of the project.
• Suggestion to move bus stop to 111 Triangle Road where there is a parking bay that could be converted to a bus stop. We no longer build indented bus stops. Also, the suggested location is quite far away from the current location and may not provide the same level of accessibility for people who use the current stop.

Property access

• Concern that work on the new driveways is a high standard as they are busy and used to access several properties. Existing driveways will be reconstructed to the current standards as we will be making changes to the kerb.
• Concern that utilities are shallow under the kerb and have been mistakenly dug up on previous occasions. This information will be given to the appropriate teams during the construction phase.
• Concern that the driveway for 137-141 is close to the intersection and new traffic lights. It is very difficult to turn in and out safely as it is a blind turn. Suggestion that light phasing could help make the turn easier. The driveway for 135 - 141 will not be controlled by the proposed intersection lights as it does not enter directly into the intersection. We expect using the driveway will operate much the same as it does now. The traffic lights will have phases when cars on Triangle Road are not moving, and this may help make it easier to enter and leave.

Traffic lights

• Concern that traffic lights stop all traffic when there is nothing coming from the opposite direction. We acknowledge that traffic on Makora Road may have to wait for the lights to change in off-peak hours, for example late at night. Time is needed for the traffic signal system to detect a vehicle and then switch to the ‘Makora Road’ phase. This is unlikely to happen in peak hours due to the amount of traffic using the intersection.
• Multiple concerns that traffic lights will slow, or stop, the flow of traffic and make congestion worse. By installing traffic lights, we aim to improve safety by controlling all movements at the intersection. This will also help create a regular flow of traffic. Makora Road and Triangle Road is a high-risk intersection with 13 crashes reported from 2014 to 2018, 2 of which resulted in serious injury. There is a clear crash trend that vehicles on these roads fail to give way when turning and collide with cyclists on Triangle Road. The proposed traffic lights aim to address this issue and improve safety for everyone.
• Multiple suggestions from respondents to install a roundabout with zebra crossings instead of traffic lights to slow vehicle speeds, keep traffic moving and prevent congestion. This would be more in keeping with other intersections in the area. We have investigated installing a roundabout, however the streams and culverts under both roads restrict the changes we can make. A roundabout would require significant road widening, including upgrades to the underground infrastructure. Our preferred safety option is to widen the roads; however, it would be a major investment and the funding required to do this is not available. The proposed traffic lights will control all movements at the intersection, including cyclists, and is expected to improve safety for everyone.
• Multiple concerns that driver speeds down the Triangle Road hill make it difficult to slow down for traffic lights and that red light running will be a problem. We will install advance warning “Traffic Lights” signs ahead of the intersection to highlight to drivers they are approaching traffic lights. As a result of feedback, we will now install skid resistant surfacing on all lanes on Triangle Road approaching the intersection which aims to remind drivers to slow down.
• Concern there are multiple sets of traffic lights in this area and another set will slow down traffic and cause driver frustration. This will be three sets of traffic lights in 500 metres on Makora Road and this is not desirable. We completed a traffic modelling assessment to understand how the intersection would perform if traffic lights were installed. The results showed traffic on Makora Road would flow similar to or slightly better than it does now, even with only one approach lane on Makora Road. By installing traffic lights, we aim to improve safety by controlling all movements at the intersection. This will also help create a regular flow of traffic.
• Concern that traffic lights will cause traffic to back up in rush hour along Makora Road which is a residential street. Motorway traffic exits on to Makora Road and heads towards Triangle Road where most turn left. Traffic modelling confirmed that stopped traffic on Makora Road is likely to extend beyond Marbella Drive. We will add ‘keep clear’ road markings at the Marbella Drive and Makora Road intersection to encourage drivers to keep the space clear and help traffic to enter and exit Marbella Drive safely. By installing traffic lights, we aim to improve safety by controlling all movements at the intersection. This will also help create a regular flow of traffic.
• Concern about engine noise from trucks braking and stopping and starting at the traffic lights, disturbing residents, especially at night time. The intersection is currently ‘Give Way’ controlled which requires vehicles to slow down and stop if necessary. We consider that any noise is likely to be similar to the existing levels.
• Multiple suggestions to install a red-light camera or speed camera if this is a high crash zone. We will continue to monitor the safety performance of this intersection once the traffic lights have been installed. If necessary, we will investigate if additional safety measures, such as red light cameras or speed cameras, are needed in this location.
• Suggestion that changes are not needed as the intersection is safe as it is. Makora Road and Triangle Road is a high-risk intersection with 13 crashes reported from 2014 to 2018, 2 of which resulted in serious injury. There is a clear crash trend that vehicles on these roads fail to give way when turning and collide with cyclists on Triangle Road. Our investigation showed this is a higher crash rate than 90% of similar intersections and warranted safety improvements. By installing traffic lights, we aim to improve safety by controlling all movements at the intersection. This will also help create a regular flow of traffic.

Culverts and bridge

• Concerns raised about the culvert and bridge design as the north side of the road is below the level of the rest of the road. This can cause drivers turning into Makora Road to slip into the edge of the drain as they try to avoid the traffic island. Investigations showed that the surface on this part of the road is not correct and could be contributing to crashes. As part of this proposal, we will fix the angle of the road to make the surface levels safer for turning into and out of Makora Road and help prevent loss of control accidents on this corner.
• Question about the type of crash barriers to be installed over the culvert bridge as a car has gone into the stream in the past. All barriers over the culverts on both Triangle Road and Makora Road will be upgraded to safety barriers. They will be designed to meet safety standards for the type of road.
• Concern about flooding in heavy rain opposite the community centre on Triangle Road and at the bottom of Makora Road. Please use the “Report a Problem” page on the AT website to register concerns and details of any flooding issues and request an investigation.

Other issues and questions

• Concern that the upgrade works will cause disruption on the road for two years. We expect the construction timeframe to be approximately 3 months.
• Concern that the proposal will affect property values for houses near the intersection because of the additional noise of engine braking. We are not aware of any evidence indicating that the installation of traffic lights at an intersection has led to a reduction in property values.
• Concern about safety at the Triangle Road and Lincoln Road extension. Unfortunately, there is not enough information about your concerns to forward to an appropriate team to investigate. We suggest you use the Report a Problem page on the AT website to register any concerns you may have about safety at this intersection. Alternatively, for general roading enquiries, you can call our contact centre on 09 355 3553
• Request that the traffic flow from Makora Road turning left into Royal Road be improved, as traffic has increased and there are new developments in the area. There is often a back-up of traffic turning left because of the design. Royal Road Bridge, including the Makora Road intersection, was recently upgraded by NZTA. Please contact NZTA for any comments in relation to the operation of the Royal Road / Makora Road intersection.
• What are the actual crash statistics at this intersection, why is the change proposed and what are the expected benefits? Makora Road and Triangle Road is a high-risk intersection with 13 crashes reported from 2014 to 2018, 2 of which resulted in serious injury. This crash rate is worse than 90% of other similar intersections. There is a clear crash trend that vehicles on these roads fail to give way when turning and collide with cyclists on Triangle Road. The proposed traffic lights aim to address this issue and improve safety for everyone.