Onewa Road, one of the busiest routes in Auckland, is set to become “more productive”, with plans to introduce bus boosters and queue detection technology to help ease congestion.
About 30,000 vehicles travel along Onewa Road every day, with the road currently made up of two lanes each way and transit lanes.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australasia’s bus and coach industry
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly ABC magazine
“Residents and businesses here rely on Onewa Road every day, and it’s important it is efficient for our growing community,” North Shore councillor Richard Hills says.
“As a regular bus user, I see how efficient the T3 is at moving over 65 per cent of morning commuters in that lane, but we need to continue to provide improvements for all users at all times of the day.
There has been a continued increase in the number of bus services using Onewa Road, most recently with the upgrade of the popular 94 bus to a frequent service connecting Beach Haven, Birkdale, Birkenhead, Northcote, and Takapuna with trips every 15 minutes, 7am till 7pm, every day of the week.
AT’s plan includes implementing bus boosters and queue detection technology. The innovative system uses real-time GPS data from buses to prioritise green lights for late-running buses, helping them catch up on schedule and reduce wait times for passengers.
“While the T3 lane is for buses and vehicles with three or more occupants, by making the road more productive at moving more people, it results in better journey times for all road users,” Road network optimisation manager Chris Martin says.
The plan also includes a shared path for pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter users, and improved technology at pedestrian crossings adjacent to the three schools on Onewa Road.
Northcote MP Dan Bidois says the changes will provide relief for all passengers.
“Let’s be clear, this is not a rebuild, this is simply making the most of the space already there on Onewa Road to ease the burden of congestion and to make the road safer for the tens of thousands of people who use it every day,” Bidois says.
Feedback is open on the changes from now until 6 April, with the aim of delivering most of the changes by the end of 2025.
Read more:
- Busways appoints new CEO
- Free bus service now connecting to Perth Airport Line
- Improved bus services bound for Adelaide’s north
- Volvo Bus appoints new sales team member
- Deliveries enjoy sustained success in 2024