Auckland Transport’s plan to free three major routes from congestion Auckland Transport’s plan to free three major routes from congestion
Date: 26 November 2025
Auckland Transport (AT) is continuing to tackle congestion as a network-wide solution to the city’s traffic problems.
We are now seeking public feedback on three more projects, having recently opened feedback on a dynamic lane proposal for Park Road in Grafton.
Proposals for special vehicle lanes are now live for Green Lane West in Greenlane, an important section of Great South Road in Papatoetoe, and the intersection at the start of Onewa Road’s T3 lane in Birkenhead.
AT’s Group Manager Road Network Operations, Chris Martin, says the evidence from traffic data has led to these roads needing intervention.
“Public transport reliability and overall journey times are two of the biggest considerations for us, and these three projects have been specially targeted by our Auckland Network Optimisation programme for improvement to commuters.”
AT is seeking feedback on these three proposed optimisation projects, and we want these communities and you to have your say.
Green Lane West
Nearly 25,000 vehicles travel along the Green Lane West route every day and there can be significant congestion and delays, especially during peak times.
Buses run every 15 minutes (with a peak of 70,000 bus trips in a month), but they can also be brought to a crawl in rush hour traffic. Cycling is also possible through this route, though space can be tight.
In addition to the route being a popular cross-town connector road and access point for SH1, the area is home to popular destinations including Cornwall Park (which draws nearly a million visitors each year), Alexandra Park, Auckland Showgrounds, and the Greenlane Clinical Centre.
We want your input to help us refine the proposal for Green Lane West and better understand it’s impacts on your travel while keeping public transport reliability in mind.
Special vehicle lanes will help ease congestion
Chris Martin says there’s a growing community nearby with two primary schools, and as more people move into the area with new apartments and houses being built, it’s only going to get busier.
“We’re proposing smart, cost-effective changes and a layout that adapts as the community grows. This includes new special vehicle lanes (SVLs) with new bus and T2 lanes, upgraded pedestrian crossings, and improved cycling facilities.
“AT wants to install bus lanes in both directions between St Andrews Road and Manukau Road from 7–10 am and 3 – 6 pm on weekdays, Monday to Friday.
“These lanes will use the current parking spaces during peak hours to make the road more efficient. Outside these times, the space will still be available for parking,” he says.
“We want to ensure there’s enough space available for motorists where possible while making sure public transport services continue to improve.
“We also want to install a T2 lane from 7–10 am heading east towards Great South Road and 3 – 6 pm heading west away from Great South Road on weekdays.
“AT would convert one general traffic lane into a T2 lane because this section has limited road space and existing heritage infrastructure.”
Reaping the benefits of new bus and T2 lanes
“Bus reliability and travel times would be improved, while general traffic and parking impacts would be carefully mitigated by the operating hours which are limited to the busiest times of the day,” Chris Martin says.
“There are also benefits for walking and cycling, including improvements to footpaths, including the creation of a shared path, and safer pedestrian crossings and bus stops planned.”
Chris Martin says 116 parking spaces will be unavailable during SVL hours, but most are not being used, and alternative parking options exist.
“We’ve designed a proposal that makes the most of the available road space to move more people without impacting the nearby heritage facilities. Whether you walk, cycle, drive, or take public transport - there’s something in this plan for you.
“Please have your say and help shape this project to best serve your community.”
How can you have your say on the future of Green Lane West?
AT invites you to provide feedback on the proposed Green Lane West changes at athaveyoursay.govt.nz. Feedback is open until 19 December 2025.
Great South Road, Papatoetoe
Great South Road is one of Papatoetoe’s busiest roads, used by over 19,000 vehicles every day, connecting the growing Papatoetoe community to Ōtāhuhu, Manukau and beyond.
But the road can be disrupted by congestion during the morning and afternoon rush hours, and this leads to unpredictable and unreliable travel times.
We’re proposing a plan to ease this congestion, improve bus reliability, and safety for pedestrians and people on bikes.
T3 lanes are a crucial part of the congestion-beating puzzle
AT’s Chris Martin says the proposed changes will make the most of the existing road space and keep people moving efficiently through Great South Road between Bairds Road and Shirley Road.
“The main changes we want to make are converting the existing northbound bus lane into a T3 lane, and continue running it from 7am – 9am, Monday to Friday. This change means more people will be able to use the lane.
“We also want to create a new T3 lane in the southbound direction, towards Manukau, that would run from 4pm – 6pm, Monday to Friday. This lane will help buses stay out of traffic and on schedule.
“The T3 lane may be used for parking outside of operating hours where there are no broken yellow lines,” he says.
Other proposed changes include upgrading existing cycling facilities, replacing pedestrian refuge islands with a signalised crossing and improving bus stops.
How can you have your say on the future of Great South Road, Papatoetoe
AT invites you to provide feedback on the proposed Great South Road changes at athaveyoursay.govt.nz. Feedback is open until 14 December 2025.
Birkenhead Avenue and Onewa Road intersection
If you’ve ever sat in traffic at the intersection of Birkenhead Avenue and Onewa Road, you’re not alone. Around 45,000 people pass through here every day and during the morning rush, almost 3,000 of us are trying to get through every hour.
That includes up to 52 buses, packed with commuters heading to work, school, or wherever they need to be. It’s a busy spot. And as more people move into the area, it’s only going to get busier.
AT’s Chris Martin says AT’s proposed changes to ease wait times at the intersection are relatively inexpensive that can be done quickly.
“The changes we want to make will open more lane space for turning vehicles and buses and give everyone a more seamless journey through the intersection.”
A quick fix for Birkenhead commuters done cheaply
“We want to create two lanes for vehicles turning left from the north side of Birkenhead Avenue,” Chris Martin says.
“This is where the Birkenhead Avenue T3 lane turns onto Onewa Road.
“We also want to install new T3 entry lanes on both sides of Birkenhead Avenue and on Highbury Bypass to help buses and T3 traffic seamlessly enter the Onewa Road T3 lane and continue onto the SH1 motorway.”
Other changes AT is proposing is to replace the pedestrian island on the northeast side with a slightly smaller one to make room for the new double left turn lane.
“We also want to change the pedestrian crossing to this island from a zebra crossing to a signalised crossing so that it’s safer for pedestrians to use,” he says.
“Proposed changes also include repositioning the kerb and footpaths on the northern side of Birkenhead Avenue so that there’s enough room for the new lanes and upgrading the traffic lights with smart technology to support the intersection changes.”
How can you have your say on the future of Birkenhead
AT invites you to provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Birkenhead Avenue and Onewa Road intersection at athaveyoursay.govt.nz. Feedback is open until 7 December 2025.