Construction is underway to create New Zealand’s first smart motorway on Wellington’s urban motorway between Johnsonville and the Terrace Tunnel. Once operational in early 2016, the smart motorway will calculate the rate at which the road is getting congested, factor in what’s likely to happen based on traffic records that are continually updated and monitored, and automatically adjust the speed limit to pace the traffic and delay queues being formed. Operators will use the smart system to manage lane closures in real time, reducing the impact of events such as crashes to prevent flow-on disruption and keep people safe. The smart motorway will make travel times more predictable during peak times and free up nearby roads for better public transport trips and improved amenity for pedestrian and cyclists.
