FAQs
Turning on the bus lane in the PM peak if there is significant congestion
Extending of bus lane past 10am in the morning peak if traffic is still high
Starting the bus lane hours earlier if there is high traffic before 7am
Turning on the bus lane to manage unexpected traffic incidents and unplanned events
What is a dynamic bus lane?
Dynamic bus lanes allow bus lanes to be activated at different times or change the number of lanes going in each direction, to add in a bus lane without removing a lane of traffic.
The dynamic bus lane on Main Highway means that we can activate the bus lane only when congestion is delaying buses, while allowing motorists to use the lane at other times.
How do you know when the dynamic bus lane needs to be activated?
Queue detectors are installed on the approach to the Main Highway and Great South Road intersection which are being used to activate the bus lane when the queue length is consistently at a length where buses are significantly delayed getting through the intersection.
After the bus lane has been turned on for ten minutes, the system checks the queue length to determine if there is still significant traffic. If the queue length has reduced the bus lane switches off, if queues are still present it remains on. The system continually checks traffic queue lengths and adapts appropriately.
Why are we making this change on Main Highway?
The Main Highway bus lane was selected as an ideal location to trial the first dynamic bus lane of this type due to its importance as a key bus link, good bus lane compliance rate, short length of bus lane (approximately 100m), and lack of impact on parking.
How often will the bus lane be activated?
Now that we are in Phase 2 of the trial, the bus lane will continue to be operational between 7am and 10am on weekdays, but it will also adapt to real-time traffic conditions.
Typical use cases may be:
We anticipate significant benefits for bus passengers in this phase of the trial. The 70 bus route travels along the Main Highway bus lane and is one of the most boarded bus services in Auckland. This bus lane will help more buses adhere to their timetables, improving reliability and efficiencies to keep our city moving.
How will people know if the bus lane is active or not in use?
Drivers approaching the dynamic bus lane will refer to the bus lane sign to know if it is active or not in use.