Premier Statement: Sod turns on Stage Two of the Eastern Busway

[#Metro]

There is so much waste in our network, even if there are some savings from feeder and trunk I do not see such a thing as a priority.

I think there is room to squeeze more capacity out of it.
All door boarding
bigger buses
the go card

but while we are buying time, the first stages of "what to do next" should be looked at.
Dig a well before you need water, as they say.

[#Metro]

"Eventually it will carry 7000 passengers in the morning peak and to carry the same number of passengers by car you would have to build two extra traffic lanes along Old Cleveland Road.

I'm not sure what the current load from Old Cleveland road is right now, but I think somewhere else (maybe a Colinw post) had put the capacity of the busway at 18 000 pax/hour/direction.

We know that TL has put the figure for some parts of the network at 12 400 pax/hour a direction.

From the media statement above, it isn't known whether peak hour = 1 hour, and it hasn't told us which year, but assuming 1 hour for peak hour:

12 400 pax/hour/direction (assume static/zero growth for future years)
add 7 000 pax/hour direction flowing into the SE busway from the Eastern busway when it opens and builds patronage.

12 400 + 7000 = 19 400 pax/hour/direction

Looks like overcapacity to me...

[Golliwog]

But TT, you miss the fact that many of the 7000 passengers the EB will carry probably already catch buses in that corridor, they just get stuck in traffic, although I would expect a rise in patronage post busway.

As for congestion at the cultural center, no theres not rockets through there, but it has previously been explained that th econgestion at the CC is due to the traffic lights either side of it causing buses to arrive in waves.

[WTN]

I had another look at the Eastern Busway construction whilst going to work this morning. The "cut and cover" tunnel between O'Keefe St and Logan Rd (behind the old service station) has been encased in concrete then grassed over for a few months now. The tunnel emerges into a portal (taking shape this week) behind Buranda State School and Norman Creek, before flying over Norman Creek and the Stones Corner carpark on a viaduct. The viaduct supports and sides have now been concreted in and two busway style lift/stair wells are being built in Beata St. Still very much a construction zone.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to check progress along Old Cleveland Rd/Main Ave stretch.

[somebody]

As for congestion at the cultural center, no theres not rockets through there, but it has previously been explained that th econgestion at the CC is due to the traffic lights either side of it causing buses to arrive in waves.

I expect this is only partly true.  I do not think that the Cultural Centre would cope with all the buses if Captain Cook Bridge routings were removed as well as the lights being removed/bypassed.

[Golliwog]

I don't think it would be able to cope with the added load of all the Captain Cook bridge routes either, but I think it would certainly help ease the current situation.

[somebody]

Yes, the light cycle time isn't nearly sufficient leaving QSBS in the PM peak.

[Golliwog]

Yes, the light cycle time isn't nearly sufficient leaving QSBS in the PM peak.

Or even during off-peak sometimes.