Improving commuting times on Onewa Rd

Congestion on one of the North Shore’s busiest roads will be reduced with the introduction of a T3 lane for westbound traffic on Onewa Rd during evening peak.

The T3 lane is an additional lane on Onewa Rd operating between 4pm-6pm, Mon-Fri from Church St to 135 metres east of Birkenhead Ave and is made possible by the removal of car parking between these hours. Only vehicles with three or more occupants, buses, cyclists and taxis are allowed on T3 lanes.

The move will reduce travel times for all vehicles on Onewa Rd, says Auckland Transport’s Group Manager Public Transport Mark Lambert. “It will not only lead to quicker bus journey times and encourage carpooling and cycling on this section of road, but all traffic will see benefits. That is because vehicles with more than three occupants and buses will be able to use the T3 lane rather than the general traffic lane. That will make journey times quicker for everyone.”

To encourage cyclists of all abilities to use this section of Onewa Rd, there will also be an upgrade of the existing footpath to create a shared pedestrian/cycle path adjacent to the T3 lane on the south side of Onewa Rd.

The Kaipatiki Local Board is very supportive of new westbound T3 lane on Onewa Road,” says Kaipatiki Local Board Chair Kay McIntyre. “We want to encourage more people to use public transport. It is a big priority in our local board plan and this new T3 lane will help us deliver on this.”

The added lane will effectively prioritise higher occupancy vehicles along the proposed route. This will allow a more effective use of the available road space and improve efficiency of public transport which is Auckland Transport’s first priority.

As outlined in the Regional Public Transport Plan, AT is proposing future bus services along this route that are timetabled to operate at least every 15 minutes between 7am to 7pm, seven days a week, which will make the provision of bus facilities along Onewa Road even more important.

The survey results showed that 48% of passengers travelled in 7% of transit vehicles (buses and vehicles with three or more people).

Currently there is a T3 lane on Onewa Rd eastbound between 6.30am-9am, Mon-Fri. This is a well-functioning T3 lane with 65% of passengers travelling on 18% of all vehicles using the T3 lane.

What is happening?

Parking will not be permitted on Onewa Rd, westbound between Church St and 135 east of Birkenhead Ave between 4pm-6pm, Mon-Fri.

This creates a new lane between these hours which will be for T3 vehicles only.

The following modes of transport only are allowed on the T3 lane:

Buses, vehicles with three or more occupants, motorcyclists, cyclists and taxis

When is it happening?

Construction will begin February 2015 and be completed in June 2015.

For more details, visit: https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/onewa-road-transit-lane-west/

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