Great North Road (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
Great North Road is a major thoroughfare in Auckland
, on the North Island
of New Zealand
. It runs from the fringe of the Auckland CBD
to west Auckland. The road is the second longest in Auckland, after its counterpart, Great South Road
. In the days before the Auckland Harbour Bridge
, Northern Motorway
and Northwestern Motorway were built, it was the main road route from central Auckland to the areas north of the Auckland isthmus
. In the 1960s, it carried 25,000–30,000 vehicles a day.
It begins as a continuation of Karangahape Road
from the latter's terminus with Ponsonby Road and Newton Road, and passes through the western suburbs of Arch Hill, Grey Lynn
, Western Springs
, Point Chevalier
, Waterview
, Avondale
, New Lynn, Kelston
, Glendene and Henderson
before becoming Swanson Road at the intersection with Lincoln Road. Contrary to its name, the road actually heads west for most of its route, turning to a more north-westerly direction at Kelston.
Located on or within walking distance from Great North Road are notable Auckland attractions such as the Museum of Transport and Technology
and Auckland Zoo
, as well as two major shopping malls, LynnMall and Westfield WestCity
. The road is served by several bus routes linking Auckland with these attractions and the suburbs of west Auckland.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, on the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It runs from the fringe of the Auckland CBD
Auckland CBD
The Auckland CBD is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. Bounded by several major motorways and by the harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas...
to west Auckland. The road is the second longest in Auckland, after its counterpart, Great South Road
Great South Road, New Zealand
The Great South Road was the northern section of the earliest highway between Auckland and Wellington, in the North Island of New Zealand. Construction of the Great South Road began in 1861 during the New Zealand Wars...
. In the days before the Auckland Harbour Bridge
Auckland Harbour Bridge
The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with Northcote in North Shore City, New Zealand. The bridge is part of State Highway 1 and the Auckland Northern Motorway...
, Northern Motorway
Auckland Northern Motorway
The Auckland Northern Motorway is a major motorway in the Auckland Region of New Zealand, linking central Auckland City and Puhoi in the Rodney District, via the Hibiscus Coast and North Shore...
and Northwestern Motorway were built, it was the main road route from central Auckland to the areas north of the Auckland isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
. In the 1960s, it carried 25,000–30,000 vehicles a day.
It begins as a continuation of Karangahape Road
Karangahape Road
Karangahape Road is one of the main streets in the central business district of Auckland, New Zealand. The massive expansion of motorways through the nearby inner city area - and subsequent flight of residents and retail into the suburbs - turned it from one of Auckland's premier shopping streets...
from the latter's terminus with Ponsonby Road and Newton Road, and passes through the western suburbs of Arch Hill, Grey Lynn
Grey Lynn
Grey Lynn is an inner residential suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand, located three kilometres to the west of the city centre. Originally a separate borough, Grey Lynn amalgamated with Auckland City in 1914....
, Western Springs
Western Springs
Western Springs is a residential suburb and park in the west of the city of Auckland in the north of New Zealand. It is located four kilometres to the west of the city centre, situated to the north of State Highway 16....
, Point Chevalier
Point Chevalier
Point Chevalier is a suburb and peninsula in the west of the city of Auckland in the north of New Zealand. It is located five kilometres to the west of the city centre on the southern shore of the Waitemata Harbour....
, Waterview
Waterview, New Zealand
Waterview is a suburb of Auckland City, located along the western edge of central part of Auckland's isthmus. The geographical boundaries of Waterview are Oakley Creek in the east, Heron Park in the south, the Waitemata Harbour in the West, and the SH16 motorway and the Oakley Creek inlet in the...
, Avondale
Avondale, Auckland
Avondale is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, located in the Whau ward, one of the thirteen administrative divisions for the Auckland Council. It is commonly considered to be part of West Auckland. It was originally called "Te Whau", which is the common name, of Māori origin, for Entelea...
, New Lynn, Kelston
Kelston, New Zealand
Kelston is a residential suburb of Waitakere, one of the four cities that make up the Auckland metropolitan area in northern New Zealand. At the 2001 census, it has a population of 3,975....
, Glendene and Henderson
Henderson, New Zealand
Henderson is a major suburb of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 13 kilometres to the west of Auckland city centre, and two kilometres to the west of the Whau River, a southwestern arm of the Waitemata Harbour.-Description:...
before becoming Swanson Road at the intersection with Lincoln Road. Contrary to its name, the road actually heads west for most of its route, turning to a more north-westerly direction at Kelston.
Located on or within walking distance from Great North Road are notable Auckland attractions such as the Museum of Transport and Technology
Museum of Transport and Technology
The Museum of Transport and Technology is a museum located in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand. It is located close to the Western Springs Stadium, Auckland Zoo and the Western Springs Park. The museum has large collections of civilian and military aircraft and other land transport vehicles...
and Auckland Zoo
Auckland Zoo
Auckland Zoo is a zoological garden in Auckland, New Zealand, situated next to Western Springs park not far from Auckland's central business district. It is run by the Auckland City Council with the Auckland Zoological Society as a supporting organisation....
, as well as two major shopping malls, LynnMall and Westfield WestCity
Westfield WestCity
Westfield WestCity is a major regional shopping centre located in Henderson, a suburb of Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand, west of the Auckland CBD...
. The road is served by several bus routes linking Auckland with these attractions and the suburbs of west Auckland.