- Hon Simeon Brown
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone for the Ōtaki to north of Levin Road of National Significance (RoNS), following the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) signing interim alliance agreements with two design and construction teams who will develop and ultimately build the new expressway.
"The Government's priority for transport investment is to support economic growth and productivity with infrastructure that allows people and freight to move quickly and safely. Otaki to north of Levin is a priority and given the resilience and safety challenges on the current stretch of State Highway 1, it's great to have the two alliance teams come onboard to move this project forward," Mr Brown says.
"The alliance teams will each deliver a section of the 24km four-lane Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway and associated works, with Downer, McConnell Dowell, Beca and Tonkin+Taylor focused south of the Ohau River, and Fulton Hogan, HEB, WSP and Aurecon focused to the north.
"Ōtaki to north of Levin is a crucial part of the Wellington northern corridor started by the previous National Government in 2013. It builds on the success of Transmission Gully, and the Mackays to Peka Peka and Peka Peka to Ōtaki Roads of National Significance.
"I know how important this Road of National Significance will be to the people in the Kapiti Coast and Horowhenua areas. Local MP Tim Costley has been a longtime advocate for this project, and it's fantastic to see that progress is now being made.
"The RoNS projects previously built by National are some of New Zealand's most successful State Highway corridors, reducing congestion and improving safety. Independent analysis has found the construction of eight new bypasses, between January 2009 and December 2016, resulted in up to a 37 percent reduction in deaths and serious injuries across those roads.
"Once completed, the Ōtaki to north of Levin Expressway will dramatically improve journey times for those travelling within and though Kāpiti and Horowhenua, with up to 15-minute travel time savings for trips from Ōtaki to north of Levin, and 6 minutes for trips from Ōtaki to Levin.
"Building the Roads of National Significance signals our focus on prioritising investments that deliver real value to commuters and businesses, ensuring our cities and regions are well-connected and our economy thrives.
Construction of the new highway is anticipated to begin in late 2025 and be completed in 2029.
