Plans to ease congestion on Auckland's northwestern motorway are full speed ahead

It's understood the Transport Agency is looking at building dedicated bus lanes with station interchanges at Te Atatu and Westgate.

The stretch of State Highway 16 is infamous for its morning crawl into the city - taking some commuters over an hour to reach their destination.

But Transport Minister and Te Atatu MP Phil Twyford has signalled the bus lanes could be a short-term fix while the Government works through its plans for light rail or modern-day trams.

The upgrade's expected to be a relatively cheap fix, with early estimates putting the cost at 40 million dollars.

The final cost and timelines will be known after the NZTA board considers the business case and funding early next year.