Bus Priority Lanes

Bus priority lanes are located at the five major signalised intersections on Great Eastern Highway. The 3.5m wide lanes will be incorporated on the approach and departure at each of the intersections.

The aim of the bus priority lanes is to increase the speed and reliability of bus services by providing increased capacity at the major intersections. This works by bypassing the existing or anticipated areas of traffic congestion and mitigating the delays caused by traffic signals.

The average length of the lane is about 170m, with the actual length varying from intersection to intersection. On the approach to the intersection, the bus priority lane is combined with a left turn movement for all other vehicles. Where space allows, the left turn lane will be developed separately, in which case the last 30m of the bus priority lanes is exclusively for buses.

Each intersection has different constraints and geometry and as such, the specifics of the bus priority lane at each location vary. Provision has been made for two buses to queue at the hold line on a red signal and for any left turn vehicles to move through the bus lane into a left slip lane.

The bus priority lanes will be coloured red, while the remainder of the pavement will be the standard black/grey colour. The cycle lanes will also be coloured red. The pavement markings on the bus priority lanes will be coloured yellow, with the exception of the left turn arrows that are white.

Locations where similar bus priority lanes are already operating include Alexander Drive at the intersection with Walcott Street and Centenary Avenue at the intersection with Leach Highway.

History and Consultation
A recent study was carried out into the bus priority options along Great Eastern Highway. This study reviewed the alternatives of providing continuous bus lanes, High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and queue jump lanes. The Public Transport Authority (PTA) expressed their preference to have queue jump lanes as the bus priority lanes, at the intersections where signals are provided.

Bus Stops and Shelters
Additionally, meetings were held with PTA and the City of Belmont (CoB) to discuss bus stops and shelters. The proposed locations of all bus stops within the project site were reviewed to maximise the commuter catchment. The bus stop locations were also considered with both the approach and departure sight distances to intersections and were strategically positioned in bus priority lanes to avoid disruption to traffic.