Auckland Transport (AT) and the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) are rolling out a suite of traffic improvements across key major roads in Mt Wellington, Epsom, and Greenlane in a coordinated effort to tackle congestion and improve travel reliability for buses, freight, and carpoolers.
In Mt Wellington, AT is proposing the introduction of new transit and heavy vehicle lanes on Sylvia Park Road and Mt Wellington Highway to prioritise high-occupancy and freight vehicles during the afternoon peak.
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The initiative, now open for public feedback, aims to address traffic congestion in a critical area feeding into State Highway 1 (SH1).
AT road network optimisation manager Chris Martin says the area sees an unusually high volume of heavy vehicles, around 11 percent of total traffic.
“On Sylvia Park Road, we plan to add a new lane by introducing clearways with broken yellow lines to prevent parked cars from blocking the road,” Martin says.
“Meanwhile, Mt Wellington Highway will see a reallocation of existing lanes to boost productivity and move more people through the same road space.”
These changes are expected to tie in with NZTA’s ongoing improvements to the SH1 southbound on-ramp at the Mt Wellington interchange.
The agency is currently expanding the two-lane on-ramp to three lanes and converting the give-way left-turn slip lane into a signalised pedestrian crossing, which will help manage pedestrian flow while allowing vehicles to continue turning left uninterrupted when no one is crossing.
Auckland System Management (ASM) began construction works on the motorway improvements last month, with work scheduled for completion by July 2025.
Meanwhile, in central Auckland, AT is also seeking public input on proposed time changes to T3 and bus lanes along Manukau Road, Pah Road, and Great South Road, routes forming Auckland’s second busiest bus corridor after the Northern Busway.
AT wants to bring forward the start time of existing afternoon priority lanes by an hour, activating them from 3pm to 7pm instead of 4pm to 7pm. This would better match peak congestion periods, which start earlier due to school pick-ups.
“These are some of the busiest roads in central Auckland, and our investigation shows that earlier congestion is causing delays,” Martin says.
“Adjusting the operating hours of these lanes is a low-cost, high-impact way to improve travel times for thousands of bus users and carpoolers.”
Additional proposed changes include extending the Great South Road bus lane by 40 metres, introducing clearways on parts of Manukau Road, and installing new no-stopping zones near Owens Road.
Both projects reflect a growing urgency to keep Auckland moving as key areas such as Mt Wellington, Epsom, and Greenlane continue to experience rapid residential and commercial growth.
Ward councillor Josephine Bartley supports the efforts and is urging locals to have their say.
“It’s good to see AT and NZTA working together. If you live, work, or travel through these areas, this is your chance to influence how we deal with growing congestion,” Bartley says.
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