- Hon Chris Bishop
- Hon Shane Jones
Good progress continues to be made on the Northland Expressway, with the emerging preferred corridor for the Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway and the Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei Roads of National Significance now confirmed by NZTA, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.
"The Waikato Expressway delivered by the last National-led Government has been a game changer for the Waikato region. The Northland Expressway is a genuinely transformational opportunity to boost jobs and growth in an area rich with potential and link Northland to New Zealand's biggest city," Mr Bishop says.
The Northland Expressway has been divided into three sections:
- Warkworth to Te Hana
- Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway
- Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei
The Warkworth to Te Hana section will be a 26km-long four-lane road, connected to the new Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway and is currently in procurement, following the announcements made at the NZ Infrastructure Investment Summit in March.
"Today NZTA is announcing the emerging preferred corridor from Te Hana to Whangārei, which will deliver a new four-lane, mainly grade-separated route that bypasses key pressure points on the current State Highway 1 (SH1).
"For Section 2, Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway, the emerging preferred corridor is a new route to the east of SH1 between Te Hana and the Brynderwyn Hills, near to the east of SH1 at the Brynderwyn Hills and to the west of SH1 between the Brynderwyn Hills and Port Marsden Highway.
"The Brynderwyn Hills is a very challenging section due to the steepness of terrain and quality of the geology. Alternative options in this location looked at western routes but following further investigation, NZTA has reassessed and found a near east alignment close to SH1. This is a more direct route with more predictable geology that can be managed through engineering design.
"For Section 3, Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei, the emerging preferred corridor is a new road near SH1 between Port Marsden Highway and State Highway 15 Loop Road and a widened SH1 corridor approaching urban Whangārei," Mr Bishop says.
Mr Jones says the recent bad weather, during which SH1 on the Brynderwyns was partly closed due to a slip, illustrated the urgency required to get work underway.
"The new expressway, which will be designed to better withstand severe weather, will provide a more resilient transport network, keeping people and goods moving and reduce travel time.
"This transport infrastructure is a key point in the New Zealand First-National Coalition Agreement. The Northland Corridor is a top priority for the Government and we are working quickly to deliver this vital connection to help Northland's economy grow and its communities thrive."
NZTA will be doing further investigation and design refinements and Ministers expect to be able to confirm the preferred route in August or September this year.
This will provide landowners with greater certainty around any impact the project will have on their properties.
