ACT wants the Government to publish both the preferred option and the "lowest-cost safe option" of major transport infrastructure projects - detailing the time, cost and benefit-cost ratio of each option.
Releasing its transport infrastructure plan on Friday, ACT's policy document states; "New Zealand has made simple infrastructure too complicated to build. Good engineering must manage genuine safety and resilience risks, but it must also identify safe, workable and affordable solutions."
It said while safety or resilience should not be compromised, the lowest-cost safe option; "must be properly investigated, priced and tested before high-level estimates, excessively conservative assumptions or optional design features become embedded in a project."
The party also promised major growth areas would be required to have funded transport-capacity plans, projected future routes and triggers, which would signal the point construction starts.
"On major two-lane growth corridors, 10,000 vehicles a day will trigger route protection, 15,000 will trigger consenting, design and a funded capacity plan, and 20,000 will trigger construction of additional lane capacity where growth is continuing," ACT said.
"That means land is protected and projects are ready to build before congestion becomes entrenched."
ACT pledged to scrap local government targets of Crown funding to Māori-owned businesses and make any "non-functional art" and "decorative amenity features" ineligible for National Land Transport funding.
"Philanthropists, environmental groups, businesses, iwi and communities should be free to add the features they value, but those extras should be funded through voluntary contributions, sponsorship or local fundraising – not the roading budget."
ACT also promised to permanently ring fence maintenance finding from the National Land Transport Fund, and end vehicle emissions settings.
The Green Party transport plan released earlier this year promised mass rapid transit in major cities, with "comprehensive bus lanes" in all cities, nationwide rapid rail, targeted subsidies for e-cargo bikes and extended free public transport fees for some people.
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