As part of the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI) project, roads linking Eastern parts of the city with the Panmure rail station will be realigned and the Panmure roundabout will receive a facelift.
The Panmure roundabout is often thought of as an iconic part of Panmure, but is also considered a dangerous spot for road users. To cut accidents at the roundabout, it is being included in upcoming transport improvement works.
“Putting in traffic lights at this roundabout should have a huge impact on the frequency of road incidents in the area,” says Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board Chair Chris Makoare
"The roundabout really wasn’t designed to deal with the quantity of traffic that passes through the intersection, so this change has been on the cards for quite a while.”
The Panmure town sign, which has adorned the centre of the roundabout since 1994, will be removed over Easter/ANZAC day and placed into storage. Public feedback will be sought regarding what is to be done with the sign - consultation with local business and residents indicates that it will be repurposed.
“There was a lot of commentary on what would happen to the Panmure sign, in the end a decision to keep it and repurpose it in a way that is still visible to the public has been agreed upon," says Chris.
"I don’t know what that will look like when it happens, but we will work with Panmure Business Association, Auckland Transport and the community to figure that out.”
To ease congestion due to works on the roundabout and wider AMETI project, Auckland Transport will be operating a commuter bus from Howick to connect with a park-and-ride at Pakuranga’s Lloyd Elsmore Park.
A temporary T2 lane is also be established on parts of Pakuranga Road to encourage carpooling during the construction phase. Commuter numbers at the Panmure station are expected to rise.
Once the AMETI Busway project is completed, travel time between Botany and Britomart will be cut to less than 40 minutes. The Eastern Busway is supported by new cycling and walking connections, urban design improvements, safety and signal improvements at key intersections, and more.
An information centre is staffed from 2pm every Tuesday and Thursday at the Pakuranga Plaza and you can visit www.at.govt.nz at any time for updates and travel tips.
