Auckland is one of the fastest growing cities in Australasia and is now home to more than 1.7 million people. Over the next decade Auckland is projected to grow by another 300,000 people, while over the next 30 years up to a million more people might call Auckland home – an increase greater than the rest of New Zealand’s population growth combined.
The Government has partnered with Auckland Council to address this through the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP), a $28 billion plan that will see a record amount of roads, public transport, rapid transit and walking and cycling infrastructure rolled out. It’s expected to reduce congestion and make peoples’ commutes safer and easier.
State Highway 1 is crucial to the future of Auckland and $700 million is being invested in the Northern Motorway, providing better links for travellers in Auckland and improving transport options on the North Shore for freight, cars, pedestrians and cyclists. Over $250 million is being invested in the Southern Motorway to provide a more reliable and safer trip for all road users through adding more lanes, installing safety barriers and upgrading the Takanini interchange.
Improving access and reliability of public transport and rapid transit is a key focus. Auckland has reached 100 million public transport passengers in a year, which means every day 270,000 trips are taken, reducing congestion and carbon emissions. More people using public transport frees up the roads for those who have to drive and we’re investing more than $2 billion in projects like extending the successful Northern Busway to Albany, light rail from the City Centre to Māngere, and in the Eastern Busway from Panmure to Pakuranga.
Having a liveable city where families can get around safely is important, which is why we’re investing more than ever before into walking and cycling infrastructure. SeaPath and a walking and cycling path over the Auckland Harbour Bridge will connect the North Shore with Auckland’s city centre and give more commuters a congestion-free option to get to and from work. Cycle lanes are being built in Henderson, Mangere East and Manukau, and on the central isthmus to help the 518,000 Aucklanders who bike get around easily.
Key initiatives in Auckland are:
These investments will help to make Auckland a better place to live, work, visit and raise a family.
The number of deaths and serious injuries on Auckland’s transport network nearly doubled from 2012 to 2017, far outweighing growth in population and vehicle travel. There is an urgent need to improve safety for people, whether they are on foot, on a bike, in a vehicle or using public transport.
There is agreement at both local and central government level that a renewed focus on safety is required, and the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will invest in key initiatives for action with Auckland Transport. This will include the Urban Road Safety Programme and the introduction of new safety and red-light cameras, which will address the highest risk roads and intersections.
The Safer Communities and Speed Management Programme will address safety and operational deficiencies and implement a strategic speed management approach across Auckland’s road network.
The Transport Agency is working with local government on the introduction of new road safety education and awareness programmes. Key to the success of these programmes is its partnership with NZ Police to reduce road deaths and ensure everyone gets to their destination safely.
The Transport Agency investment programme will also include the $69 million SH16 Brigham Creek to Waimauku Safe System Enhancement, to improve safety and efficiency.
$50 million will be invested in safety improvements in the Dome Valley north of Warkworth to make the road safer for everyone who uses it. Part of the Transport Agency’s Safe Network Programme, there will be 13.5km of additional barriers, widened centrelines and 152km of new line markings and rumble strips. Work began in February 2019 and completion is expected in 2021
Work is also underway to improve safety at level crossings at Joyce Adams Place, Waimauku (near SH16); Kaukapakapa (SH16); and West Coast Road, Kaipara Flats (near SH16).
Expanding and upgrading Auckland’s rapid transit network of rail, busways and, in the future, light rail to play a growing role in meeting Aucklanders’ travel needs is central to the ATAP programme. Rapid transit is uniquely well suited to shifting large numbers of people quickly, efficiently and reliably, unlocking critical housing and urban development opportunities and giving communities better access to jobs, health, education and recreation.
Delivering light rail in the City Centre to Māngere corridor will provide a modern, integrated public transport system with seamless connections. This is an opportunity to create a great transport system that can be part of the fabric of the city and improve people’s lives through transformational projects and initiatives that leave a legacy for future generations.
The Transport Agency is leading the delivery of the light rail programme. It is working in partnership with Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and HLC, to give people more choice about how they travel and to support the creation of more accessible communities.
The NLTP 2018-21 will invest in expanding Auckland’s rapid transit network. Alongside developing light rail, key initiatives are:
These projects will provide more choices for people and freight in their travel to and from the airport and surrounding areas both in the short and longer term. Improvements may include bus priority along SH20B to Puhinui rail station, an upgrade of the station, improved capacity and connections along SH20/A/B, interchange upgrades and rapid transit between Auckland Airport and Botany.
Much of Auckland's strategic road transport network is now complete, however the Transport Agency is working to create targeted improvements at the same time as it prepares for the networks required to connect growth areas and ensure they are great places to live.
Key corridors around the city will continue to have strategic importance, especially as the city grows and changes. The NLTP 2018-21 will invest in the following key initiatives, which are aimed at connecting communities as the city grows:
Looking ahead, the Supporting Growth programme has been established to investigate, plan and deliver the transport networks needed to support future urban growth areas over the next 30 years. Through this collaborative programme with local government, the NLTP will invest in the initial preferred network that has been identified, including the Matakana Link Road connection between Matakana and SH1 near Warkworth. The Transport Agency will continue a staged programme of route protection processes, and future delivery of projects will then follow in line with ATAP’s priorities and the release of new land for growth.
There is an upswing in cycling with 38% of Aucklanders riding bikes in 2018 – that is more than 518,000 people now cycling. The past three years have seen the continued implementation of the Urban Cycleways Programme, and more bikes means a more active population as people choose to access and see the city a different way and leave the car at home.
The walking and cycling programme will be strategically planned and delivered to achieve maximum impact for short trips to the city centre, public transport interchanges, schools, and local and metropolitan centres. A new footpaths regional programme will construct new and widened footpaths.
Several key infrastructure projects will enable more active ways for people to move safely and easily, including:
Annual ridership on Auckland’s public transport system recently exceeded 100 million boardings for the first time since the 1950s. Nearly 80% of public transport trips are made by bus or ferry.
The NLTP 2018-21 will continue to invest in Auckland’s bus and ferry services, through the following key initiatives (in addition to those identified under ‘rapid transit’):
A key strategic approach of ATAP is to make better use of the existing network, and to explore new opportunities to get more out of what is already in place. This means looking at the whole Auckland transport system and understanding the way people want to interact with it, as well as a programme of optimisation to improve the efficiency and reliability of people’s journeys.
New technology is providing opportunities to do this. The Transport Agency’s investment in the Intelligent Transport Systems Programme will use emerging technologies to better manage congestion, improve safety and influence travel demand. The Network Optimisation Programme will provide a package of targeted small-to-medium scale infrastructure projects to optimise routes through synchronisation of traffic signals, optimising road layout, dynamic traffic lanes and managing traffic restrictions. Another key initiative is the Bus Route Priority Phase 1, which involves implementation of bus priority measures along the Frequent Service Network to improve capacity and speed.
While the Auckland Transport Operations Centre can effectively manage incidents and emergencies, there is an ongoing programme of work to strengthen its capabilities to reduce disruption and delay. Core technology upgrades will support and enhance systems such as Journey Planner, web and mobile applications, asset management, CCTV and network upgrades to improve performance, resilience and safety of customers.
As the climate changes, there will be an investigation to determine how to address the impacts of sea level rise on Tāmaki Drive and improve the resilience of state highway and local road networks.
| NLTP | 2016–18 | 2018–21 |
|---|---|---|
| Forecast total investment | $4.6 billion | $6.8 billion |
| Forecast maintenance and operations | $1.3 billion | $1.3 billion |
| Forecast public transport investment | $1.2 billion | $2.3 billion |
| Forecast walking and cycling | $108 million | $277 million |
| Regional network improvements | $1.5 billion | $1.9 billion |
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