Bus priority measures to support CRL works Bus priority measures to support CRL works
The City Rail Link (CRL) will unlock Auckland’s rail network, allowing faster and more frequent movement of passengers around the network. Auckland Transport (AT) is making some changes to our city centre bus operations to support the CRL construction and improve bus travel times in line with Auckland Council’s long-term vision for the city centre.
Project status: Consultation - closed 10 December 2019, last updated 20 January 2020.
Project zone: Central
Project overview
Auckland Transport is looking to introduce a range of city centre road changes for new 24/7 bus lanes and other bus priority measures to accommodate City Rail Link (CRL) works recommencing in early 2020.
From 1 March 2020, the CRL project will close the intersection of Wellesley Street, Albert Street and Mayoral Drive for at least nine months. As works progress, the Victoria Street/Albert Street intersection will then close for at least 12 months from early 2021.
Works on the Karangahape Station will also start in January 2020. From this date there will be lane closures on Pitt Street between Poynton Terrace and Karangahape Road for up to 3 years.
Wellesley Street is a major bus corridor. Given the volume of buses to be re-routed and general traffic that will be re-directed away from Wellesley Street, bus priority measures are essential to ensure people can still get into and around the city centre.
Benefits
- Improved bus time travel.
- Helping to keep Auckland moving.
Project details
Changes in the road corridor
A number of road changes in the corridor are required to re-route buses through the city centre and establish 24/7 bus lanes to safeguard their operations as follows:
Cook Street
- Between Nelson Street and Hobson Street - A right turn bay for buses into Nelson Street.
- Between Hobson Street and Vincent Street/Mayoral Drive – Eastbound kerb side lane to be converted into a left turn only lane; a bus advance pocket in the central lane.
Mayoral Drive
- Between Vincent Street/Cook Street to Queen Street - Bus lanes on both sides of the road.
- Between Queen Street and Wakefield Street - A westbound bus lane.
Wellesley Street West
- Between Nelson Street and Hobson Street - The second westbound right turn lane will change to become an eastbound right turn lane. Removal of the eastbound bus lane along the northern kerb line.
Queen Street
- A new right turn bus lane southbound on Queen Street at the intersection with Mayoral Drive.
- The kerb side lane will continue to be a shared straight-ahead and left turn lane, however the centre lane will become a right turn only bus lane. The right turn only lane for general traffic will remain. These changes require:
- Relocation of the loading zone at 380 Queen Street to 2 Airedale Street; removal of three on-street parking spaces for the new loading zone.
- Relocation of the existing bus stops further north to outside 380 Queen Street.
- Between Victoria Street and Mayoral Drive - The existing bus lanes that stop just before Victoria Street will be extended further south to Mayoral Drive. The northbound bus lane will start just before Mayoral Drive; the southbound bus lane will end at Wakefield Street.
Victoria Street West
- Between Nelson Street and Hobson Street – A westbound bus lane.
- Between Federal Street and Queen Street – Bus lanes on both sides of the road.
Hobson Street
- The existing bus lane will be extended further south to Cook Street.
Pitt Street
- Between Vincent Street to Poynton Terrace - A southbound bus lane.
Car parking removals
A total of 21 paid on-street car parking spaces will be removed to make way for 24/7 bus lanes. Most of these car parks are currently located in peak hour clearways, as follows:
Cook Street
- Between Nelson Street and Hobson Street - Three parking spaces on the southern side of the road.
Mayoral Drive
- Between Vincent Street/Cook Street to Queen Street - Eight parking spaces on the northern side of the road near Myers Park.
Pitt Street
- Between Vincent Street to Poynton Terrace - Seven parking spaces on the eastern side of the road.
Airedale Street
- Outside 2 Airedale Street - three parking spaces for the relocated loading zone.
Proposed 24/7 bus lanes and supporting road changes for the Wellesley Street closure.
Bus re-routing plan
The proposed road changes and car parking removals will enable buses to bypass the Wellesley Street road closure using the following routes.
Bus re-routing plan for the city centre to support the Wellesley Street closure.
It is envisaged that, once these changes are in place, bus travel times will improve in line with Council’s long-term vision for the City Centre. There will be some delays to general traffic movements and a range of measures will be rolled out to provide travel choice options.
Download the Bus Priority Measures to support CRL works detailed plans (PDF 7.5MB, 11 pages).
The wider vision for Auckland’s city centre
Auckland's city centre is being transformed through the development of the City Rail Link, more public and pedestrian spaces, and better connections between key points in the city centre and waterfront. This programme is on a scale never seen before in our city, with $6 billion of investment over five years and an estimated $10 billion of private investment.
In 2019 more than 50,000 people call the city centre home and over 100,000 people travel in every day. The City Rail Link will unlock Auckland’s rail network and allow faster, more frequent movement of passengers around the network.
When the CRL is completed in 2024 it will double the number of people able to reach the city centre by rail in under 30 minutes, and make Auckland’s regions more accessible via the city centre.
Our priority is supporting Aucklanders through the CRL construction activity around Wellesley and Victoria Streets, Karangahape Road, and Mount Eden. Some disruption should be expected for a project of this scale, but every effort is being made to minimise any impacts.
Auckland’s future is in progress and works happening in the city centre will benefit us all in the future. For more on the city centre developments go to progressakl.co.nz
Public engagement
We consulted on the Bus Priority Measures to support CRL works proposal between 26 November and 10 December 2019 and received feedback from 69 submitters. We have created a public feedback report which summarises the feedback received, details Auckland Transport’s response to the feedback and explains the outcomes of consultation. You can now download the report below.
Summary of your feedback on Bus Priority Measures to support CRL works (PDF 1.1MB, 18 pages)
Find out more information on all stages of the CRL works and timings.
Outcome
We will proceed with all of the proposed bus priority measures with no changes. In addition, service delivery vehicles will be able to use the Wellesley Street bus stops no longer in use during the CRL works, to support local businesses through the disruption.
Next steps
Works will begin shortly to ensure all the bus priority measures to support the re-routing are all in place and operational in March, ahead of the CRL works' closure of the Wellesley Street/Albert Street/Mayoral Drive intersection. This work will mostly require changes to road markings, signage, and other minor roadworks.