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Virtual field trips to see progress on New Zealand's first smart motorway. The most recent trip ran in early March 2016. Virtual field trip resources are online for continued use.
Find out more on the virtual field trip page:
Smart Motorways (LEARNZ)(external link)
School students can meet the experts making New Zealand’s first smart motorway. This will reduce congestion by carefully controlling the flow of vehicles. As the volume of traffic increases, the smart motorway automatically adjusts the speed limit to reduce congestion.
The aim is to help drivers get to where they're going safely, more quickly and with less stress.
Glen Prince discusses how this first smart motorway will influence future roading projects and how it will be judged as being ‘fit for purpose’.
Bruce Walton explains how the variable message signs and lane control signs work and how they play a key role in the smart motorway system.
Steve Beddow, Project Manager, explains why most of the work on the smart motorway is done at night from 8pm - 5am, the importance of planning and what tools like signage are used to keep people informed of upcoming works that will affect traffic.
Drive into the centre of Wellington and make your way to the Becca office to meet the smart people behind the smart motorway and see how their simulation model works.
Back at the smart motorway construction site office check out the garage full of variable message signs and chat to Neil Walker, the highway manager to learn more about the future of our roads.
Travel out to the Johnsonville Traffic Operation Centre and find out how our motorway network is monitored and the impact the smart motorway will have on operators at the centre.
The smart motorway project is in Wellington. The three kilometre section of highway between Ngauranga and Aotea Quay carries about 90,000 vehicle movements every day. This is New Zealand’s busiest section of motorway south of the Bombay Hills.
A smart motorway is fitted with a network of detection equipment (radars, loops and cameras) and electronic signs that are programmed to respond automatically to manage the flow of traffic.
As the volume of traffic increases, the smart motorway automatically adjusts the speed limit to reduce congestion and get as many vehicles as possible through the area. They’re used effectively around the world as transport agencies seek to improve people’s journeys while getting the most out of existing road corridors.
Smart motorway (NZ Transport Agency project page)(external link)
