Finishing touches

Managing Traffic flows around the museum, both during and after construction, was a task undertaken by a company specialising in the provision of such services. Traffic Design Group was contracted to carry out all the transportation aspects of the redevelopment.

Principal transportation engineer Daryl Hughes says the job, which required consultation with museum staff and stakeholders such as Auckland City Council and bus and coach operators, involved an initial Temporary Construction Traffic Management Plan.

"This plan was introduced to ensure site works were carried out in a safe and convenient manner for both contractors and the visiting public," Hughes says. "The company then designed the internal layout of the new multi-storey underground car park and associated changes to the layout of the adjacent Sensory Gardens Road area."

More recently, Traffic Design Group was responsible for the implementation of a permanent traffic management strategy, which included the reversal of the traffic flow direction around the site, the design and arrangement for special parking areas, and changes to the bus and coach drop-off locations.

Hughes says providing sufficient bus and coach parking close to the museum was a significant challenge, due to the constrained nature of the site and its surrounding roads. The solution developed by Traffic Design Group provides a short-term parking facility next to the building, while providing a longer-term waiting area in nearby roads.

Trialling traffic management measures during the temporary phase helped the company determine the way in which car and coach drivers would react to the changes, and helped to meet the project's challenging deadline for the long-term solution.

For more details, contact Traffic Design Group, PO Box 2592, Auckland 1140, phone (09) 302 0901, fax (09) 373 3539. Website: www.tdg.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas