Dominion Rd upgrades on hold

Auckland Transport’s plans for Dominion Rd are still up in the air, with no timeframe in place for solving the road’s chronic congestion problem.

Previous plans have been shelved due to ‘‘funding priorities’’ and light rail is now being considered.

In 2014, Dominion Rd, a main arterial route to the city centre, was earmarked for an overhaul which was to change its profile substantially.

But Auckland Transport spokesman Mark Hannan said this week funding priorities had shifted in the council’s long term plan and Dominion Rd was now part of the council’s ‘‘investigation into light rail’’.

Hannan said he ‘‘hoped to be in a position to comment later this year’’.

Transport Blog spokesman Patrick Reynolds said progress was frustratingly slow.

‘‘There’s no way we can get on with anything of value in an expeditious way.’’

Reynolds said light rail would be a welcome relief to the city and he did have sympathy for the council and Auckland Transport juggling such a complex problem with lim- Auckland Transport had planned to provide continuous bus lanes and signal priority for buses at traffic lights. There were plans for wider bus lanes and parallel cycle routes along the roads as well as newregulations for parking. Part of the upgradewas a ‘‘streetscape improvement to village centres’’ and safety upgrades for pedestrians and cyclists

ited resources.

The council had wanted to change the often-congested six km stretch of road to offer a faster way to get into the city, providing continuous bus lanes and parallel cycle routes along neighbouring roads.

There were to be new regulations for parking, and bus bays were to be removed.

Part of the upgrade was a ‘‘streetscape improvement to village centres’’ and safety upgrades for pedestrians and cyclists.

The council has previously predicted that bus patronage along Dominion Rd was projected to increase by 67 per cent to 3 million annual passengers by 2021.

The plans were originally to be completed by the end of 2016.