Source: New Zealand Government
Today marks a significant milestone for Horowhenua and the lower North Island as we celebrate the first year since construction began on the Ōtaki to north of Levin Road of National Significance project, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
“A year ago today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and I joined our delivery partners in Manakau to turn the first sod, marking the start of construction on this crucial project. Twelve months later, local communities can already see the scale of strong progress being made on site,” Mr Bishop says.
“With around 1.22 million hours worked over the past 12 months, crews have moved around 1.2 million cubic metres of earth – enough to cover an entire rugby field 120 metres deep – and started construction on major structures, including the North Island Main Trunk Rail Overbridge, Ōhau Awa bridge, North and South Manakau Road bridges, and Queen Street East overpass.
“This new expressway will cut travel times, make it easier and more reliable to move people and freight, and support continued growth in Horowhenua and across the lower North Island. The project is also creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and investing in skills and training opportunities that will benefit the region long after the road is finished.
“To date, we’ve seen over 150 locals, including 80 local youth and Jobseekers find fulltime employment and training opportunities through the project, and the 165 local businesses working on the project.
“The year ahead is also expected to be the busiest period of construction since work began, with earthworks continuing at pace, further progress on bridges and structures, new local road connections taking shape, and increased traffic management as work expands across the project area.
“I’d like to acknowledge and thank local MPs Tim Costley and Suze Redmayne for their strong advocacy for this project and their ongoing work on behalf of the community.
“As significant construction activity increases, communities will see more visible progress across the corridor. We know construction can be disruptive at times, and I’d like to thank local communities and road users for their patience and support as we deliver this critical piece of infrastructure.”
Notes to editor:
- The new 24km Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway will provide a safer and more reliable State Highway 1 connection, reducing travel times, improving network resilience and catering to future growth in the Horowhenua District and lower North Island. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2029.
- The current Kāpiti/Horowhenua highway carries up to 19,500 vehicles a day. The new Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway is expected to create evening peak travel time savings of up to 15 minutes for trips from Ōtaki to north of Levin and 6 mins for trips from Ōtaki to Levin.
- In August 2025, the NZ Transport Agency signed Project Alliance Agreements with the two alliances who will build the Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway. The alliances will each deliver a section of the road (roughly 12kms each) and associated works, with the two alliances working collaboratively to ensure the best outcomes for the project. The Ōtaki to north of Levin alliance partners are:
- Northern section: Fulton Hogan, HEB, WSP and Aurecon
- Southern section: Downer, McConnell Dowell, Beca and Tonkin+Taylor
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/23/strong-year-of-delivery-for-otaki-to-north-of-levin-rons/