Dairy may prove to be a challenging sell for Christopher Luxon's free-trade deal with India and plans for a new Northland expressway have been revealed. Video / NZ Herald
Auckland Transport is proposing to remove parking on Onewa Rd to make a full clearway and ease congestion.
Other changes include adjusting parking on Seaview and Nutsey Aves and removing a bus stop.
One of Auckland’s busiest roads would have all its parking removed, a shared path put in, and changes to traffic light phasing under a new proposal.
Auckland Transport (AT) has proposed a slew of changes for Onewa Rd on the North Shore to ease traffic congestion.
The changes have thebacking of Northcote MP Dan Bidois and North Shore councillor Richard Hills. But business owners are worried the loss of the few remaining car parks will mean less custom at their shops.
The road, which carries more than 30,000 vehicles a day, already has a partial clearway on either side, which run as transit and three-passengers-or-more lanes (T3).
AT said the current disjointed clearway was disrupting traffic flow, creating delays, and leading to crashes, as motorists using the T3 lanes suddenly came up against parked vehicles.
There were 140 crashes reported on Onewa Rd in the four years to 2023, AT said.
To resolve the issue, AT has proposed yellow lines on both sides of Onewa Rd from Birkenhead Ave to Lake Rd for a full clearway.
To fix frequent backlogs at the Lake Rd and Queen St intersections with Onewa, AT is proposing to synchronise the traffic lights.
“The two traffic lights are very close together, and if they’re not operating in sync, vehicles can get stopped at each intersection. This can mean longer delays for vehicles trying to get on and off the motorway, especially when the area is really busy,” AT said.
Auckland Transport (AT) has proposed a slew of changes for Onewa Rd on the North Shore to ease traffic congestion. Photo / Janna Dixon
Queue-detecting cameras have also been slated for the intersections, so lights could turn green to clear a backlog.
People-detecting cameras are also proposed to go in at the pedestrian crossing lights near St Mary’s Catholic Church and Northcote College.
Pedestrians sometimes did not have enough time to cross when crowds from schools nearby were using the crossing, AT said. And motorists were often left waiting at a red light when nobody was crossing.
Other changes are proposed for intersecting Seaview and Nutsey Aves, where parking will be changed.
AT is proposing to move the current 15-minute parking on Seaview Ave to the opposite side of the road so motorists parking would not have to cross the road to the nearby shops.
On Nutsey Ave, AT has proposed to turn the first 60m from Onewa Rd into a clearway on both sides. AT said cars often parked either side, turning it into a one lane road, and created backlogs onto Onewa.
A bus stop opposite Northcote College will be removed to discourage students from crossing the road.
AT has also proposed a shared pathway for cyclists and pedestrians on the existing footpath on the northern side of the road between Birkenhead Ave and Lake Rd.
Hills said it was important to keep traffic moving on Onewa Rd to make it efficient for his growing community. Bidois said the changes would “make the most of the space already there”, easing congestion and making it safer.
However business owner Ajmer Singh said his business, The Godfather Pizza, which has no off-street parking, will suffer if further street parks are removed.
He told the Herald the move would be unfair: “We have spent all our money on these businesses, and if we lose it, how are we going to feed our families?”
He said other business owners were similarly anxious about the proposal.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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