Source: New Zealand Government
Combined funding of nearly $1.2 billion will see the Government’s Roads of National Significance programme move to the next phase of development, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
“The Government is committed to building a long-term pipeline of transport infrastructure investments to redress New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit and build jobs and growth for Kiwis,” Mr Bishop says.
“Our Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme is a vital part of this pipeline, and I’m pleased to see good progress on getting these important projects ready for delivery.
“The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has now endorsed investment cases for all of the RoNS, with the most recent endorsements including Sections 2 and 3 of the Northland Expressway, the East West Link, Hamilton Southern Links, Petone to Grenada and Cross Valley Link, SH1 Wellington Improvements including a new Mt Victoria tunnel, and the Hope Bypass. These investment case summaries have now been published on NZTA’s website.
“The Board has also approved more than $675m in funding to progress consenting, design, route protection, site investigations, and some early works. In addition, more than $515m is expected to be used from approved RoNS property funding to enable local property acquisition to get underway on these projects.
“The NZTA Board’s endorsement of these investment cases, and approval of funding for next steps, ensures progress on these projects can continue at pace.
“It’s part of the Government’s work to ensure New Zealand has a credible pipeline of high value infrastructure projects extending into the future, and that they’re ready to go as funding becomes available.
“It’s important that we also have a clear plan for delivery, including well-reasoned prioritisation to inform the order in which these RoNS are funded and delivered. The Government will have more to say about that in the coming months.
“Today’s news complements work already underway on other RoNS, including Warkworth to Te Hana, Cambridge to Piarere, Takitimu North Link Stage 1 and 2, SH29 Tauriko West, Mill Road Stage 1, Hawkes’s Bay Expressway, Otaki to north of Levin, Belfast to Pegasus and Woodend Bypass, and the SH16 alternative.”
“The Northland Expressway represents a transformational opportunity to boost jobs and growth in a region rich with potential. The investment case has confirmed the preferred route, with delivery readiness being prioritised for an alternative to the Brynderwyn Hills in line with our coalition agreement with New Zealand First,” Mr Bishop says.
“Overall, the investment case shows strong benefits with travel times reduced by up to 38 mins between Te Hana and Whangarei, deaths and serious injuries reduced by 66 per cent, travel time delay reduced by 64 per cent, and resilience risk reduced by 82 per cent on average. The Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) is 1.4.
“Next steps for NZTA include property acquisition, with consents and designation for an alternative to the Brynderwyn Hills (section 2b) expected to be lodged using the Fast-track Approvals Act (FTAA) by the end of March 2026. Designations for the remainder of the corridor are expected to be lodged via the FTAA by late 2026.
“The Northland Expressway is expected to be built in stages over multiple National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) periods. This allows NZTA to focus delivery of priority benefits sooner, alleviate resilience and safety issues, and provide a strong pipeline of staged work for the construction sector as funding allows in future.”
East West Link
“The Onehunga-Penrose area is a critical part of Auckland’s economy, generating 8 per cent of the region’s GDP. Strategically located between SH1, SH20, and the national rail network, the East West Link will help unlock economic potential, improve travel times, and reduce congestion,” Mr Bishop says.
“The investment case for the East West Link shows it represents a strong case for investment with time in congestion reduced by almost 30 per cent, travel time savings of up to 11.6 mins to SH1 and up to 3.2 mins to SH20. The BCR is 2.6 tolled/un-tolled, or 3.2 with Wider Economic Benefits (WEBs) included.
“The East West Link is expected to be built in stages, allowing NZTA to focus on unlocking incremental benefits to the network over time and spreading the cost over multiple NLTP periods. Next steps include route protection for the full project, detailed design of Stage 1 (Galway Link), consents, and property acquisition.”
Hamilton Southern Links
“The Waikato region plays a critical role in our economy, with its location making it a vital freight and distribution hub in the supply chain. By 2048, an extra 224,000 people are expected to be living in the Waikato and it’s crucial we have transport networks that can keep Hamilton and the Waikato moving,” Mr Bishop says.
“The investment case for Hamilton Southern Links is strong, with expected travel times reductions of 14 mins between Tamahere and western Hamilton. By 2055, it will also support access to 17,300 new houses and 7,100 new jobs. The BCR is 1.9 un-tolled, 1.6 tolled, and 2.3 with WEBs included.
“Next steps for NZTA include further design, updating the designation and regional consents, and acquiring remaining property. Much like other projects, Hamilton Southern Links is expected to be built in stages, spreading the construction and cost over multiple NLTP periods as construction funding becomes available.”
Petone to Grenada and Cross Valley Link
“North of Wellington, SH1 and SH2 suffer significant traffic congestion, with both corridors carrying over 70,000 vehicles daily. The Petone to Grenada and Cross Valley Link project (P2G and CVL) will support economic and housing growth, with significant travel time savings and better connectivity,” Mr Bishop says.
“The investment case for Petone to Grenda has confirmed a preferred and viable route, with travel time savings at peak of up to 23 mins between Lower Hutt and Porirua. The project also supports planned housing growth of more than 30,000 houses in Tawa, Porirua, and Hutt City. The BCR is 1.7 tolled/un-tolled, and 2.7 including WEBs. CVL has an incremental BCR of 2.0 assuming P2G is built first.
“The preferred route provides a more efficient connection with 70 per cent less earth works than previous designs, resulting in lower costs and less impact on communities. I’m pleased a feasible route for Cross Valley Link has also been identified. Next steps for the Petone to Grenada section include route protection, design, and consenting, with consents being sought through the FTAA as a listed project.”
SH1 Wellington Improvements
“Carrying up to 40,000 vehicles per day, around 4 per cent heavy vehicles, SH1 through Wellington is heavily congested at peak times with bottlenecks at the existing Terrace and Mt Vic Tunnels. This causes frustration and delay to people just trying to live their lives and go about their day,” Mr Bishop says.
“The investment case shows a good case for investment with strong benefits. It makes the best use of the existing SH1 tunnels and roading assets across the city, while also building much needed new capacity, flexibility, and resilience into the corridor. If tolled, the BCR is 1.0 including WEBs, and un-tolled the BCR is 1.2.
“Benefits include future travel times from the Wellington region to the central city, hospital, and airport reducing by up to 10 mins at peak times, travel time variability reducing by up to 40 percent, a 20 percent reduction in peak traffic on the Harbour Quays enabling increased use of buses, and an estimated 200 additional walking and cycling trips per day through the second Mt Victoria Tunnel.
“Walking and cycling between the eastern suburbs and the central city will also be safer with a new 3.6m wide enclosed shared path included in the second Mt Victoria Tunnel. The 1.4m raised path in the existing tunnel will be demolished to enable wider vehicle lanes and improved fire safety measures.
“NZTA has confirmed it will seek statutory approvals for the full project via the FTAA as a listed project. All necessary documentation for the tunnels and wider roading improvements will be submitted by July 2026.
“Geotechnical investigations will begin shortly along the second Mt Victoria Tunnel alignment. Work will begin in 2026, and the first packages may include the delivery of supporting road improvements, housing removal/demolition and site clearance.”
Hope Bypass
“SH6 provides a vital connection between Port Nelson and the wider upper South Island, supporting people and freight. Travel demand regularly exceeds capacity during peak periods, particularly in Richmond, and NZTA will prioritise investment that improves travel times, safety, and reduces congestion,” Mr Bishop says.
“The investment case has shown the Hope Bypass represents a good case for investment and strong benefits, with the immediate focus into two stages of work on SH6 between SH60 and Whakatu Drive. Further work between SH60 out to Edens Road in Hope to be retained for future prioritisation.
“Delivering the first two stages has strong benefits, with a reduction in peak travel times through Richmond by up to 16 mins, support for 11,000 new homes and a reduction of up to two injury crashes per year. The project will also retain cycleway routes and connections. If tolled, the BCR is 1.1, un-tolled it is 1.7.
“Next steps include geotechnical investigations, design, consenting, property acquisition, and procurement activities. The Hope Bypass is expected to be built in stages, allowing NZTA to address immediate capacity and safety issues, while the cost of construction will be spread over multiple NLTP periods.
“The Government is committed to delivering a strong and consistent pipeline of projects to support jobs and growth across New Zealand. I look forward to seeing further progress on these critical projects in the months and years ahead.”
Notes to Editor:
The Roads of National Significance investment case summaries are available on NZTA’s website.
Funding:
Where tolling has been considered by the NZTA Board as part of the investment case for projects, and a recommendation made, the Government will consider this recommendation and announce next steps in due course.
Section 2 (Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway) and Section 3 (Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei)
• Funding of $187m to progress design, consenting, and route protection, with priority given for an alternative to the Brynderwyn Hills (section 2b).
East West Link
• Funding of $102m to progress design, consenting and route protection.
Hamilton Southern Links
• Funding of $100m to progress design, consenting and significant site investigations work.
Petone to Grenada and Cross Valley Link
• Funding of $32m to progress design, consenting and procurement activities.
SH1 Wellington Improvements
• Funding of $185m to progress design, consenting, and early works development.
Hope Bypass
• Funding of $72.6m to progress design, consenting and procurement activities.
Work already underway on RoNS:
Construction is already underway on Takitimu North Link Stage 1, phase one of SH29 Tauriko West – the Omanawa Bridge replacement, and Otaki to north of Levin. Construction is due to begin on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway in November.
Procurement on Warkworth to Te Hana is also progressing, with a preferred bidder expected to be confirmed in early 2026 and, subject to successful contract negotiations, the contract is expected to be awarded in mid-2026. Detailed design and early construction works are expected to start in late 2026.
Consents have also been granted for Cambridge to Piarere, Takitimu North Link Stage 2 has had a Fast Track panel appointed, and Mill Road Stage 1 and Belfast to Pegasus and Woodend Bypass are currently working through their FTAA applications. The SH16 alternative is currently working through designation and strategic land acquisition.
