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The large speed humps recently installed in Laurence Street, Manly are doing their work, making the street safer for residents, according to Auckland Transport (AT).
However, getting to this point has taken more than a year and cost ratepayers a total of $150,000.
This cost is due, in part, to poor driver behaviour and repeated vandalism. However, AT did employ consultants to complete designs for the speed humps.
The project was initiated in March last year, to slow traffic on the street. Initially speed “cushions” were installed – these don’t extend across the whole road, and are used for routes that have lots of on-street parking and/or are used by cyclists.
An AT spokesperson says residents complained about drivers crossing the centreline and driving through the space between the cushions. As a result, double yellow ‘no overtaking’ lines were painted on, but had no effect.
AT then installed flexi posts between the cushions to physically prevent drivers from leaving the lane at these points.
However, AT says some drivers damaged these and also physically removed them. The flexi posts were re-installed, and again removed.
“This illegal behaviour was raised with the police,” the AT spokesperson says.
After working with residents and police who were dealing with the aftermath of vandalism, (and constant illegal manoeuvres along Laurence Street), AT recently replaced the speed cushions with large speed humps that extend right across the street.
