List of motorways and expressways in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
This is a list of motorways and expressways
in New Zealand., including some proposed and under construction.
Expressways in New Zealand are usually dual carriageway
roads and may have full or partial control of access. They are generally high standard all-purpose roads that cater mainly for through traffic and do not have any traffic restrictions imposed on them. Intersections may be at-grade or grade separated.
Motorways in New Zealand have certain traffic restrictions applied, to provide a better vehicular traffic operating environment. The traffic operating restrictions normally applied under a motorway designation are:
in downtown Auckland via the Auckland Harbour Bridge
and the North Shore to Puhoi
, 38 km (23.6 mi).
, 21 km (13 mi).
Upper Harbour Motorway (SH 18
Under construction, connecting the Northwestern and Northern Motorways via the Upper Harbour Crossing, 11 km (6.8 mi).
, complete between the Southern Motorway and Longswamp, Rangiriri and Ohinewai.
By 2007 SH 1 between Longswamp and Rangiriri was three lanes with a median barrier. Land continues to be designated and the road continues to be designed further south, and will be constructed as funding permits.
Tamatea Arikinui Drive (Bethlehem - The Avenues Expressway) (SH 2
From 15th Avenue to just before Bethlehem Town Centre, with interchanges at Cambridge Road, Waihi Road and Takitumu Drive (Pyes Pa - City Expressway).
, west of Hastings
, through Taradale to Napier Airport
. An extension to the south is planned to rejoin SH 2
.
It is one lane in each direction, with roundabouts at Prebensen Drive and Taradale Road and interchanges at Kennedy Road (north off, south on) and Meeanee Road (traffic lights for many years and a notorious black spot - has now been replaced with an interchange), traffic lights at Pakowhai Road (southbound and turning traffic only), and roundabouts at Evenden Road, Omahu Road, and Flaxmere Avenue/York Road.
The first section (Kennedy Road - Pakowhai Road) opened in the late 1960s, and construction recommenced in the late 1990s (south of Pakowhai Road). For 30 years the partially formed approaches for the Kennedy Road overbridge stood each side of the dual carriageway from Napier to Taradale. In 2002, work began to strengthen the approaches and build the bridge: the expressway opened through to Hawkes Bay Airport late in 2003.
Except for the Tamatea Drive/Taradale Road section (70 km/h), the expressway is 100 km/h.
The expansion of the present three lanes on Mangaone Hill to four will be part of the project.
Notorious black spots have existed in and around Bell Block since suburban development began there in the 1970s. Devon Road (SH 3
) was reported by Transit New Zealand to carry 29,000 vehicles per day between New Plymouth and Bell Block, and to be the worst road per capita for crashes in the country.
The new road will follow Devon Road from Vickers Road (edge of New Plymouth) to Egmont Road up Mangaone Hill, then branch off to the right, by-passing Bell Block to the south. A "seagull" intersection will be constructed at Egmont Road, allowing full merge lanes for traffic turning on and off the by-pass, separated by traffic islands. A full diamond interchange will be constructed at Henwood Road, a roundabout at the Nugent Street/Henwood Road/Devon Road intersection, the Paraite Road/Wynyard Street/Devon Road intersection closed (with a new link road), and the by-pass merging back into Devon Road near the Mangati Road intersection.
The Mangati Road intersection has had some safety improvements made, including a long left turn bay being added. When the by-pass is complete right hand turns onto it from Mangati Road will no longer be possible. Right hand turns into Mangati Road from Devon Road will still be permitted.
In August 2008 the Henwood Road overbridge opened, and soon afterwards the intersection of Paraite Road with Devon Road was closed. A new road connecting Henwood Road with Paraite Road was already open.
The bypass opened on 12 March 2010, at 10:30am. The first vehicle to drive through the bypass was a large truck, illustrating the strong part the road transport industry has played in getting the big project under way. At this time, the expressway is planned to take the name of Devon Road, with the present Devon Road (former State Highway 3 through Bell Block) being renamed.
Some work remains to be done on the by-pass e.g. lane marking, finishing the sea-gull intersection at Egmont Road, the small off-ramp into the Ngamotu Golf Course, and completing the realignment at the east end of the by-pass near Mangati Road.
It will be constructed in two stages: from Mackays to Peka Peka, and Peka Peka to Otaki, both of which are expected to start construction in 2013 and be completed in four years..
to the Johnsonville-Porirua Motorway, bypassing Centennial Highway.
past Lower Hutt
, to the seagull intersection
at Fergusson Drive and River Road. It has two names: Hutt Road from Ngauranga to the Petone Overbridge, Western Hutt Road from the Petone Overbridge to Fergusson Drive. 20 km (12.4 mi).
It is two lanes each way, and apart from a small section between the Petone Overbridge and the Petone Railway Station
is completely dual carriageway
. With the exception of the Petone and Ngauranga Interchanges all intersections are at-grade, with major ones controlled by traffic lights and minor ones controlled by Give Way and Stop signs.
In recent years, works have been started to improve safety along the road. Several minor intersections have been improved to prevent traffic turning right into or out of the minor roads. The section between the Petone and Normandale Overbridges is currently being improved by the Dowse to Petone project, which will eliminate three sets of traffic lights and replace them with a grade separated roundabout and an overbridge. There are provisions to replace the Melling and Haywards intersections with grade-separated interchanges.
Its southernmost interchange (Kainga/Marshland) is unusual in that northbound traffic merges from the right, while southbound traffic is carried on a large loop to the right up and over the onramp. Northbound there are three more interchanges; Tram Road (Oxford), north off, south on; Kaiapoi (diamond interchange); and Lineside Road (SH 71 to Rangiora), north off, south on.
It is dual carriageway from Belfast (Main North Road) to Lineside Road, single lane each way with no median strip to Woodend.
It is single lane with interchanges at Bridle Path and Port Hills Road. There is a passing lane southbound from the Opawa Road interchange.
From Pine Hill
to Waitati
; the main route north from Dunedin.
to Caversham
, currently being widened to four-lane over its full length.
past the outer suburbs of Green Island
, Abbotsford and Fairfield
to the intersection with SH 87 at Mosgiel
. It is one of the southernmost motorways in the world. 10 km.
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
in New Zealand., including some proposed and under construction.
Expressways in New Zealand are usually dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
roads and may have full or partial control of access. They are generally high standard all-purpose roads that cater mainly for through traffic and do not have any traffic restrictions imposed on them. Intersections may be at-grade or grade separated.
Motorways in New Zealand have certain traffic restrictions applied, to provide a better vehicular traffic operating environment. The traffic operating restrictions normally applied under a motorway designation are:
- no stopping
- a ban on all animal, pedestrian and cycle traffic
Northern Motorway (SH 1)
From the Central Motorway JunctionCentral Motorway Junction
The Central Motorway Junction or CMJ , is the intersection of New Zealand State Highways 1 and 16, just south of the central business district of Auckland, New Zealand...
in downtown Auckland via 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...
and the North Shore to Puhoi
Puhoi
Puhoi is a settlement located approximately 50 km north of Auckland, New Zealand. Puhoi is probably a Maori word which may be translated as "Slow water"....
, 38 km (23.6 mi).
Northwestern Motorway (SH 16)
From Auckland port to to Brigham Creek Rd, WhenuapaiWhenuapai
Whenuapai is a suburb and airport located in the western Waitakere area of Auckland City, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the northwestern shore of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres to the northwest of Auckland's city centre. It is one of the landing points for the Southern...
, 21 km (13 mi).
Southwestern Motorway (SH 20)
From the Southern Motorway in Manukau City to Maioro Street in Mount Roskill, being extended at the Maioro Street end, 18 km (11.2 mi).Southern Motorway (SH 1)
From downtown Auckland via Manukau City to the Bombay Hills and the Waikato Expressway, 51 km (31.7 mi). Upper Harbour Motorway (SH 18New Zealand State Highway 18State Highway 18 is a State Highway linking North Shore City and Waitakere City in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the northern part of the Western Ring Route...
)
Under construction, connecting the Northwestern and Northern Motorways via the Upper Harbour Crossing, 11 km (6.8 mi).Waikato Expressway (SH 1)
A half-constructed expressway between the Southern Motorway at Bombay and CambridgeCambridge, New Zealand
Cambridge is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. Situated 24 kilometres southeast of Hamilton, on the banks of the Waikato River, Cambridge is known as "The Town of Trees & Champions".In the 1840s Cambridge had a Maori population but in the 1850's missionaries and...
, complete between the Southern Motorway and Longswamp, Rangiriri and Ohinewai.
By 2007 SH 1 between Longswamp and Rangiriri was three lanes with a median barrier. Land continues to be designated and the road continues to be designed further south, and will be constructed as funding permits.
Takitumu Drive (Pyes Pa - Mount Maunganui Expressway) (SH 2A)
From Pyes Pa to Chapel Street near the city centre. An interchange exists with Tamatea Arikinui Drive, along with a "coat-hanger" interchange, which is used with Elizabeth Street and heads north towards Mt Maunganui. When complete, the Harbour Link project will be a four-lane expressway between Pyes Pa and Mount Maunganui. Tamatea Arikinui Drive (Bethlehem - The Avenues Expressway) (SH 2New Zealand State Highway 2State Highway 2 is one of New Zealand's eight national highways. With the exception of State Highway 1, which runs the length of both of the country's main islands, SH 2 is the longest highway in the North Island...
)
From 15th Avenue to just before Bethlehem Town Centre, with interchanges at Cambridge Road, Waihi Road and Takitumu Drive (Pyes Pa - City Expressway).Tauranga Eastern Motorway
Being constructed in phases to connect Tauranga to Te Puke via Papamoa. In late 2006 the first phase was opened from Maungatapu to Bayfair. Future expansion will see the motorway terminate at PaengaroaHawkes Bay Expressway
From FlaxmereFlaxmere
Flaxmere is a suburb in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island.It is located North-west to the town of Hastings City, and is regarded as a suburb of its larger neighbor. It had a population of 10,400 according to the Hastings Council....
, west of Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
, through Taradale to Napier Airport
Napier Airport
Hawke's Bay Airport is Hawke's Bay's main commercial airport serving domestic flights to the main centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as well as smaller centres such as Gisborne, Tauranga, Hamilton and Palmerston North...
. An extension to the south is planned to rejoin SH 2
New Zealand State Highway 2
State Highway 2 is one of New Zealand's eight national highways. With the exception of State Highway 1, which runs the length of both of the country's main islands, SH 2 is the longest highway in the North Island...
.
It is one lane in each direction, with roundabouts at Prebensen Drive and Taradale Road and interchanges at Kennedy Road (north off, south on) and Meeanee Road (traffic lights for many years and a notorious black spot - has now been replaced with an interchange), traffic lights at Pakowhai Road (southbound and turning traffic only), and roundabouts at Evenden Road, Omahu Road, and Flaxmere Avenue/York Road.
The first section (Kennedy Road - Pakowhai Road) opened in the late 1960s, and construction recommenced in the late 1990s (south of Pakowhai Road). For 30 years the partially formed approaches for the Kennedy Road overbridge stood each side of the dual carriageway from Napier to Taradale. In 2002, work began to strengthen the approaches and build the bridge: the expressway opened through to Hawkes Bay Airport late in 2003.
Except for the Tamatea Drive/Taradale Road section (70 km/h), the expressway is 100 km/h.
Bell Block Bypass
This expressway which was planned from the 1980s, began construction in December 2006.The expansion of the present three lanes on Mangaone Hill to four will be part of the project.
Notorious black spots have existed in and around Bell Block since suburban development began there in the 1970s. Devon Road (SH 3
New Zealand State Highway 3
State Highway 3 is one of New Zealand's eight national highways. It serves the west coast of the country's North Island and forms a link between State Highway 1 and State Highway 2...
) was reported by Transit New Zealand to carry 29,000 vehicles per day between New Plymouth and Bell Block, and to be the worst road per capita for crashes in the country.
The new road will follow Devon Road from Vickers Road (edge of New Plymouth) to Egmont Road up Mangaone Hill, then branch off to the right, by-passing Bell Block to the south. A "seagull" intersection will be constructed at Egmont Road, allowing full merge lanes for traffic turning on and off the by-pass, separated by traffic islands. A full diamond interchange will be constructed at Henwood Road, a roundabout at the Nugent Street/Henwood Road/Devon Road intersection, the Paraite Road/Wynyard Street/Devon Road intersection closed (with a new link road), and the by-pass merging back into Devon Road near the Mangati Road intersection.
The Mangati Road intersection has had some safety improvements made, including a long left turn bay being added. When the by-pass is complete right hand turns onto it from Mangati Road will no longer be possible. Right hand turns into Mangati Road from Devon Road will still be permitted.
In August 2008 the Henwood Road overbridge opened, and soon afterwards the intersection of Paraite Road with Devon Road was closed. A new road connecting Henwood Road with Paraite Road was already open.
The bypass opened on 12 March 2010, at 10:30am. The first vehicle to drive through the bypass was a large truck, illustrating the strong part the road transport industry has played in getting the big project under way. At this time, the expressway is planned to take the name of Devon Road, with the present Devon Road (former State Highway 3 through Bell Block) being renamed.
Some work remains to be done on the by-pass e.g. lane marking, finishing the sea-gull intersection at Egmont Road, the small off-ramp into the Ngamotu Golf Course, and completing the realignment at the east end of the by-pass near Mangati Road.
Johnsonville-Porirua Motorway (SH 1)
Part as New Zealand's first motorway, opened 1950. Approximately 11 km (6.8 mi).Wellington Urban Motorway (SH 1)
From Ngauranga to Te Aro, 7 km (4.3 mi)Kapiti Expressway (SH 1)
Proposed, from north of Otaki via Waikanae Beach and Paraparaumu to Mackays Crossing, where it would meet with the proposed Transmission Gully Motorway.It will be constructed in two stages: from Mackays to Peka Peka, and Peka Peka to Otaki, both of which are expected to start construction in 2013 and be completed in four years..
Transmission Gully Motorway (SH 1)
Proposed, from Mackays Crossing near ParaparaumuParaparaumu
Paraparaumu is a town in the south-western North Island of New Zealand. It lies in the Kapiti Coast, 50 kilometres north of the nation's capital city, Wellington....
to the Johnsonville-Porirua Motorway, bypassing Centennial Highway.
Hutt Valley Expressway (Hutt Road and Western Hutt Road) (SH 2)
From the Wellington Urban Motorway at NgaurangaNgauranga
Ngauranga is a suburb of New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, in the lower North Island. Situated on the western bank of Wellington Harbour, it lies to the north of the centre of the city. It is a Maori name meaning "the landing place", and the original spelling was "Nga-Uranga"...
past Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
, to the seagull intersection
Seagull intersection
A seagull intersection or continuous green-T intersection is a common type of three-way at-grade intersection, usually used on high traffic volume roads and dual carriageways. This form of intersection is popular in Australia and New Zealand, and sometimes used in the United States.- Design :Note:...
at Fergusson Drive and River Road. It has two names: Hutt Road from Ngauranga to the Petone Overbridge, Western Hutt Road from the Petone Overbridge to Fergusson Drive. 20 km (12.4 mi).
It is two lanes each way, and apart from a small section between the Petone Overbridge and the Petone Railway Station
Petone Railway Station
Petone railway station is a dual platform, suburban railway station serving Petone, a suburb of Hutt City in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island. Facilities at this station include a bus terminal, carpark, ticket office, and cycle storage...
is completely dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
. With the exception of the Petone and Ngauranga Interchanges all intersections are at-grade, with major ones controlled by traffic lights and minor ones controlled by Give Way and Stop signs.
In recent years, works have been started to improve safety along the road. Several minor intersections have been improved to prevent traffic turning right into or out of the minor roads. The section between the Petone and Normandale Overbridges is currently being improved by the Dowse to Petone project, which will eliminate three sets of traffic lights and replace them with a grade separated roundabout and an overbridge. There are provisions to replace the Melling and Haywards intersections with grade-separated interchanges.
Christchurch Northern Motorway (SH 1)
From north of Kaiapoi over the Waimakariri River through to the northern suburb of Belfast.Its southernmost interchange (Kainga/Marshland) is unusual in that northbound traffic merges from the right, while southbound traffic is carried on a large loop to the right up and over the onramp. Northbound there are three more interchanges; Tram Road (Oxford), north off, south on; Kaiapoi (diamond interchange); and Lineside Road (SH 71 to Rangiora), north off, south on.
It is dual carriageway from Belfast (Main North Road) to Lineside Road, single lane each way with no median strip to Woodend.
Christchurch Southern Motorway
Short road bypassing a part of southern Christchurch city, no longer designated a motorway. There are plans to return it to motorway status, with plans to duplicate the former motorway and extend it across Curletts Road through to Halswell Junction Road. Construction is planned to begin March 2010.Christchurch - Lyttelton Expressway
From the intersection of Ferry and Dyers Roads along Tunnel Road through the Lyttelton Tunnel to the intersection of Norwich Quay and Simeon Quay.It is single lane with interchanges at Bridle Path and Port Hills Road. There is a passing lane southbound from the Opawa Road interchange.
Former Dunedin Northern Motorway (SH 1)
This undivided highway had its "motorway" signs removed several years ago, and is now called Dunedin-Waitati HighwayFrom Pine Hill
Pine Hill, New Zealand
Pine Hill is a suburb, hill, and general area of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited on the hill of the same name, a spur of Mount Cargill overlooking North East Valley and Glenleith to the north of the city centre. This spur lies in the fork of the confluence of the Water of Leith and...
to Waitati
Waitati
Waitati is a small seaside settlement in Otago, New Zealand, within the city limits of Dunedin. It is located close to the tidal mudflats of Blueskin Bay, 19 kilometres north of the Dunedin city centre...
; the main route north from Dunedin.
Caversham Bypass (SH 1)
From Dunedin CBDCentral business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
to Caversham
Caversham, New Zealand
Caversham is one of the older suburbs of the South Island New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited at the western edge of the city's central plain at the mouth of the steep Caversham Valley, which rises to the saddle of Lookout Point...
, currently being widened to four-lane over its full length.
Dunedin Southern Motorway(SH 1)
From Lookout Point at the southwestern end of CavershamCaversham, New Zealand
Caversham is one of the older suburbs of the South Island New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited at the western edge of the city's central plain at the mouth of the steep Caversham Valley, which rises to the saddle of Lookout Point...
past the outer suburbs of Green Island
Green Island, New Zealand
Green Island is an island off the coast of Dunedin, New Zealand, also the name of one of the city's suburbs. The suburb is not on the sea — formerly a borough, it took its name from the Green Island bush, uncleared native forest extending from the valley where the town is centred over the hills...
, Abbotsford and Fairfield
Fairfield, Otago
The quiet suburb of Fairfield lies 10 kilometres to the west of Dunedin CBD, in Otago, southern New Zealand.Fairfield lies in rolling hill country between Abbotsford and the Taieri Plains, close to the slopes of Saddle Hill and Scroggs Hill...
to the intersection with SH 87 at Mosgiel
Mosgiel
Mosgiel is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, fifteen kilometres west of the city's centre. Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin City Council area, but was physically separate from the contiguous suburbs until...
. It is one of the southernmost motorways in the world. 10 km.