Victoria Park tunnel

[spinergy]

Thoughts? I know its only been open a few days, lets hear your first impressions.

[Swoop]

Went through it yesterday and it looks very nice.
Far too many cars using it to appreciate exhaust note, however...

Interseting that the fans in the roof are only blowing air through the tunnel rather than ducting up and out through the roof.

Did you notice the fire/emergency escape door half way along?

[baffa]

I took the long route home just so I could go through it.

Not bad, there are emergency escapes every 10 metres just in case someone pulls a diehard 4.

I managed to find enough space to make a bit of noise, good fun.

[avgas]

I liked the fact that if anything goes wrong 1000 ton of concrete slap makes you jam in a sandwich.
Square.

[Muppet]

I used to live in Auckland; where does the new road go from/to?

[spinergy]

Heading north it starts after the Wellington St on ramp just as you pass the Birdcage (you actually go under it). You bypass the Vic Park flyover and come out just after the Fanshawe Street on ramp.
Just two lanes at the mo but will become three at some point. I think the plan is to make the Vic Park flyover into four southbound lanes.

[Devil]

Interseting that the fans in the roof are only blowing air through the tunnel rather than ducting up and out through the roof.


I would think that keeping the air flowing in one direction (i'm guessing mainly in the direction of the traffic) would have been easier than poking holes upwards (and screwing up whatevers on the surface).

[Usarka]

First tunnel in NZ to allow hazardous goods.

Fuckin' BOOM!

[Disco Dan]

New tunnel added 3 minutes to my trip when I used it. But that was mostly due to idiots slowing down to look at it... it's a tunnel. Far Canal.

[BoristheBiter]

It's a $409 million waste of time.
Yes it looks nice, doesn't change the two lanes through spaghetti junction that they have just spent $270 million on the previous year.

adds 30min to my traveling time due to fuck heads that slow down to look at A FUCKING TUNNEL.


Good Tui's add,

Auckland motorway planners know what they're doing.........Yeah right.

[Blackshear]

Being a west/north goer, it shaves absolutely no time whatsoever at ALL off my journey (Which is no surprise, logically) but my GOD does my Micron can sing! :banana:
Sorry everyone behind me while I slow down to 40 and then WOT (to the limit, mr cameras :devil2:)

[swbarnett]

there are emergency escapes every 10 metres just in case someone pulls a diehard 4.
To be honest it seems a bit silly to have any when you've seen the Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland. It has emergency escapes also. They're further apart that the entire length of ours.


I managed to find enough space to make a bit of noise, good fun.
I couldn't resist lane splitting at a reasonable pace to let the Yoshi do it's thing. Very nice!

[Devil]

It's a $409 million waste of time.
Yes it looks nice, doesn't change the two lanes through spaghetti junction that they have just spent $270 million on the previous year.

adds 30min to my traveling time due to fuck heads that slow down to look at A FUCKING TUNNEL.


Good Tui's add,

Auckland motorway planners know what they're doing.........Yeah right.

Well considering they haven't finished what they're doing, i'm not sure what you're moaning at.

[BoristheBiter]

Well considering they haven't finished what they're doing, i'm not sure what you're moaning at.

he constant ill planning that goes on with our roading system.
Yes there is some good concepts that have been badly executed, spaghetti junction is a prime example.

After all the money spent on upgrading this, moving that, it is still only two lanes and the new tunnel will not change that.
look at this link , still two lanes either direction through spaghetti junction
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/victoria-park-tunnel/driver.html

The other classic is the new extension to the NW motorway. it adds time if you want to go from the north shore to kumeu as you have to get off and use back country lanes.

[Disco Dan]

he constant ill planning that goes on with our roading system.
Yes there is some good concepts that have been badly executed, spaghetti junction is a prime example.

After all the money spent on upgrading this, moving that, it is still only two lanes and the new tunnel will not change that.
look at this link , still two lanes either direction through spaghetti junction
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/victoria-park-tunnel/driver.html

The other classic is the new extension to the NW motorway. it adds time if you want to go from the north shore to kumeu as you have to get off and use back country lanes.

Plus has anyone noticed there is no off ramp for westgate??? I work in Hellensville and if I get onto the new mway the next off ramp is Lincoln road - you have to go right passed westgate, royal rd and then you can exit at Lincoln! Madness!

[Indiana_Jones]

The one flaw in the plan I've seen is that it still requires people to chose a lane early on and stick in it...........we're talking about Auckland drivers......good luck with that.

-Indy

[Devil]

After all the money spent on upgrading this, moving that, it is still only two lanes and the new tunnel will not change that.
look at this link , still two lanes either direction through spaghetti junction
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/victoria-park-tunnel/driver.html

That two lane section has never been the problem, and thats technically before spaghetti. The holdups southbound are where the symonds and port onramps join (then the gillies area). Thats what causes the tailback to head through the two lane area.

North bound however, hopefully that extra lane in the tunnel will do the job with draining cars away from the symonds offramp to nelson offramp area.

[The Pastor]

Plus has anyone noticed there is no off ramp for westgate??? I work in Hellensville and if I get onto the new mway the next off ramp is Lincoln road - you have to go right passed westgate, royal rd and then you can exit at Lincoln! Madness!

wtf are you still on kb?

[Gremlin]

That two lane section has never been the problem, and thats technically before spaghetti. The holdups southbound are where the symonds and port onramps join (then the gillies area). Thats what causes the tailback to head through the two lane area.

North bound however, hopefully that extra lane in the tunnel will do the job with draining cars away from the symonds offramp to nelson offramp area.
The hold up southbound used to be the Newmarket Viaduct, but since the new bridge has been in, it's actually stopped that area from being a real car park. It's slow, but mostly constantly moving. I would say it's Khyber Pass and Gillies mostly, because of an on ramp and off ramp in close proximity using the same lanes. Much like the northbound side (except that hold up is slow moving cars for Port/SH16 exit)

I do a lot of travel southbound from city, but a bit from the North Shore, and I would say they should have 1 lane for city and SH16, 3 for junction and south, but that doesn't magically move the barrier, now does it?

I would reckon the next bottleneck is Mt Wellington, which drops the motorway down to 2 lanes. Used to back up, but have noticed it hasn't been too bad in recent months, not entirely sure why though.

[Disco Dan]

wtf are you still on kb?

Yes, what of it?

[BoristheBiter]

That two lane section has never been the problem, and thats technically before spaghetti. The holdups southbound are where the symonds and port onramps join (then the gillies area). Thats what causes the tailback to head through the two lane area.

North bound however, hopefully that extra lane in the tunnel will do the job with draining cars away from the symonds offramp to nelson offramp area.

Then why is lane 4 & 5 backed up over the bridge but clears after nelson st on ramp?
Why has it always backed up through SJ northbound but clears at Fanshawe st on ramp?
Tristram ave is another one, they made it three lanes now it backs up at Greville road, again two lanes.

It's called the bottle neck for a reason and everywhere on the motorway when it drops to two lanes there is a traffic jam.
The motorway is basically now too small for the amount of cars that travel on it everyday, even the weekend is now a parking lot.
So this is what is why i have will have a go at the shit planning that spends $406 million dollars to provide two lanes for an off ramp but only two for a motorway.

[Swoop]

Tristram ave is another one, they made it three lanes now it backs up at Greville road, again two lanes.
I remember when Tristram Ave was the northern end of the motorway. Greville Rd, pah! Think yourselves lucky AND not having to pay a toll.

[BoristheBiter]

I remember when Tristram Ave was the northern end of the motorway. Greville Rd, pah! Think yourselves lucky AND not having to pay a toll.

Oh those were the days, up east cost road to Whangapaoa. Auckland city was was a day out, now just a trip.

[Hinny]

A friend and I were both shocked when we found out the tunnel was so short. We both thought it had gone under the harbour to the North Shore. :shit:
Another friend I was talking with on Friday thought the new tunnel had 7 lanes. He thought that was pretty dumb given the bridge had 8 lanes. Objection still stands with the flyover / tunnel combo. :no:

[Hinny]

Plus has anyone noticed there is no off ramp for westgate??? I work in Hellensville and if I get onto the new mway the next off ramp is Lincoln road - you have to go right passed westgate, royal rd and then you can exit at Lincoln! Madness!

as Boris wrote:

'Good Tui's add,

Auckland motorway planners know what they're doing.........Yeah right.'

[superman]

Pfft central Aucklanders, when are they going to sort the bloody Mt Wellington Bridge?! :innocent:

[swbarnett]

Plus has anyone noticed there is no off ramp for westgate??? I work in Hellensville and if I get onto the new mway the next off ramp is Lincoln road - you have to go right passed westgate, royal rd and then you can exit at Lincoln! Madness!
I've noticed that the new extension is not completely finished. I think there's going to be a stage 2 that will address this.

[BoristheBiter]

I've noticed that the new extension is not completely finished. I think there's going to be a stage 2 that will address this.

No, what you see is pretty much what you get in regards to the hobsonville extension.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/hobsonville/faqs.html

[vifferman]

To be honest it seems a bit silly to have any when you've seen the Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland.
Been there, done that. It goes on and on and on...
The Victoria Park tunnel isn't really a tunnel at all - just a short length of covered road.