Bus commuters on Auckland's North Shore can expect faster trips, with only buses in the new extension to the Northern Busway, which opens on Sunday.
(File photo). Photo: RNZ / Joanna Mackenzie
The $313 million project expanded the bus-only lane from the Auckland Harbour Bridge to Albany is a partnership between Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Auckland Transport (AT).
At its pre-Covid-19 peak - and before the new extension - the busway carried more than 36,000 people every day - or 12 percent of all bus trips for the Auckland region, AT said.
Waka Kotahi's Steve Mutton said the five-kilometre-long extension should speed up journeys for those using it.
"As we've seen in the past, Aucklanders will leave their cars at home if there's a better, reliable, faster option that will improve their commute. Traffic-free travel and around half an hour back per week that would otherwise be spent in rush hour traffic, is incentive for change," he said.
Constellation Bus Station, which is on the busway in Rosedale had also been upgraded as part of the project.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff said the busway had proved successful, and improving it was a smart investment.
"Since the busway opened in 2008, more than half of all commuters travelling over the Harbour Bridge into the city at peak times have come by bus instead of by car. As a result, the number of cars travelling on the bridge has remained relatively stable, despite Auckland's population growing by around 30 percent.
"Thanks to this extension and station upgrade, tens of thousands more Aucklanders will enjoy access to congestion-free rapid public transport services. Not only will this save Aucklanders' time previously spent stuck in traffic, it will also boost productivity and reduce carbon emissions, which is essential if we are to meet our climate obligations."
The busway extension was part of a package of Northern Corridor Improvements.