For 10+ years, Contractors and Councils across New Zealand have used the Traffic Separator System for situations like separating vehicle lanes, temporary traffic management, intersection safety improvements, and cycle lane separation.

While it’s been an effective system, we’ve had feedback over the past few years that the flexible posts are not as durable as they could be, which has led to ongoing maintenance issues with posts being snapped and broken off.

We take client feedback seriously, so we’ve been working hard on improving this system over the past year, and are proud to launch the improved Ultra Separator System—re-designed to address the issues, reduce maintenance hassles, and deliver a more durable, reliable solution for your projects.

In this article  we’ll explain the changes we have made and how they can benefit your future projects.

What Was the Problem?

The original system served a good purpose, but the posts became a weak link over time. Contractors told us:

• Durability: Over time, the plastic material became brittle, leading to posts snapping after repeated impacts.
• Attachment: The friction-fit mounting wasn’t very tight and caused posts to loosen or pop out of their sockets.

These issues created extra work for maintenance teams managing busy work sites, and led to messy-looking installations with posts missing or having to be replaced regularly to keep the system performing.

The Ultra Separator System: What’s New?

We took your feedback and addressed these concerns with two specific improvements. Here’s how the Ultra Separator System makes your job easier:

1. Changed to Durable Polyurethane Posts

We designed a new mounting socket that allows our tried and tested Ultraflex delineator to fit into the rubber separator bases. The Ultraflex posts are made from fully flexible polyurethane, a material designed to withstand repeated impacts without cracking, splintering, or breaking.

In testing, the posts were driven over 30 times by a ute at 30 kilometers per hour. The old posts didn’t make it—breaking after 30 hits. The new polyurethane posts were still rebounding and looking like new.

The Ultraflex posts have also been previously tested as a stand-alone post, rated to handle 100 hits at 100kmh, making them an excellent addition the rubber separators.

Ultimately, this means fewer replacements, less downtime, and lower long-term costs when using the Ultra-Separator system on projects.

2. Secure Locking Mechanism

With the new mounting socket, we focused on providing a deeper socket so the post had more support when inserted into the rubber bases (like an inground bollard, it will stay in place even when unsecured).

We also improved the locking mechanism, swapping out the previous ‘friction-fit method with a more reliable twist-and-click mechanism. This new locking method has a special recess in the socket which allows the post to ‘pop’ into a securely locked position, keeping it secure even after repetitive impact. It also makes it much harder for people to try and pull these posts out when they’re not supposed too…!

These upgrades ultimately reduce the need for constant site checks, reduce the need to continually replace posts, and mean that your separators will stay in place and performing for longer = decreasing total cost.

Broken plastic posts also often left behind small plastic fragments scattered on the road. The new design solves this issue by eliminating the breakage problem altogether, contributing to cleaner roads and less plastic waste.

Left: Old plastic post broken after 30 x hits. Right: New post still looks brand new after 30 x hits.

How Does This Help Contractors & Councils?

All the improvements we’ve made to create the Ultra Separator System comes back to our goal of helping you to deliver safe, efficient projects.

 Here’s what these improvements mean for you:

• Less time spent on maintenance. The durable posts and secure locking mechanism reduce replacements and site checks.
• Lower costs over time. Fewer breakages mean less money spent on replacement parts and labor.
• A cleaner, safer worksite. Eliminating post breakages and reducing cone usage creates a more organized and environmentally friendly work zone.
• Reliability: Whether you’re installing this system as a Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) solution or for a permanent cycleway or safety improvement, the Ultra Separator System ensures your setup stays in place  and does the job.

If you’ve got an existing installation of our traffic separator system and want to upgrade your current posts, talk to us to see if your current system is compatible for the upgrade.

Visit our product page for videos, photos, and more information, or get in touch if you have questions about how this system can work for your projects.