Waikato 2022 update

Waikato’s significant contribution to the economic wellbeing of New Zealand underpins the importance of the region having a safe, accessible land transport system that is both reliable and resilient to move people and goods along inter-regional routes.

With Auckland and the Bay of Plenty, Waikato forms the ‘golden triangle’ – New Zealand’s major growth area where 50% of our population lives and a significant proportion of our economic activity takes place.

The region has important road and rail connections to Tauranga and Auckland, connecting the three largest urban centres in the upper North Island, the two largest ports (Auckland and Tauranga) and the country’s largest international airport in Auckland. A new 30ha inland port is currently under construction at Ruakura in Hamilton. Together with a 263ha industrial and logistics park, this will create New Zealand’s largest integrated commercial hub. Reliable access to export markets is critical when 40% of the nation’s freight movements goes into, out of, or through the Waikato.

Completion of the SH1 Waikato Expressway in 2022 will not only reduce travel times between Auckland and Tirau by 35 minutes, but also help reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries along this corridor which has high traffic volumes and freight movements.

Road safety remains a significant issue in the Waikato, with more than 20% of New Zealand’s annual deaths and serious injuries occurring in the region. During the 2021–24 NLTP, we’ll be focusing on speed management and infrastructure improvements to make journeys safer across the region.

Through the Future Proof partnership, we’re working to develop a spatial plan and an integrated land use and transport programme for the Waikato region. We’re also working with partners to implement the Hamilton Mode Shift Plan to grow the city’s proportion of travel by public transport, and walking and cycling.

In the last 12 months

• Construction continued on the 22km $837 million Hamilton section of the SH1 Waikato Expressway opening mid-July 2022 – the last section of the 102km Waikato Expressway. The Waikato Expressway improves safety and reliability and reduces travel times and congestion on SH1 by delivering a four-lane highway from the Bombay Hills south of Auckland to south of Cambridge. The expressway was built in seven sections, with the final section (Hamilton) completed in July 2022.
• The $4.5 million underpass on SH21 Airport Road in Tamahere was completed in March 2022 to form part of the Te Awa shared path. This provides a safe crossing for the Cambridge to Hamilton shared walking and cycling path.
• Safety improvements continued on SH1 Cambridge to Piarere with the installation of 1.6kms of median barriers to prevent head-on crashes and reduce deaths and serious injuries.
• Commuters have better access to Auckland with two return train services, Monday to Friday, and a Saturday service introduced on Te Huia, and the service extended from Papakura to The Strand (in Parnell). ​
• Safety and resilience of the region’s transport system was improved with work on a number of bridges including a new bridge on SH27 over the Mangawhero Stream; replacement of the SH39 Mangaotama Stream Bridge superstructure; deck repairs to the SH25 Waitakaruru Bridge; and strengthening of the SH25 Waiwawa Bridge.
• Cyclists and walkers on the Te Awa shared path have safer access in Tamahere with a new underpass on SH21 Airport Road, while those in Tairua have a new footbridge over Grahams Stream.

Underway or about to start

• Working with Hamilton City Council, we’re progressing the business case for the Eastern Pathway School Link shared path. This $22 million investment will provide a safe cycling network for local schools and improve public transport priority. Next step is to see pre-implementation funding.
• We’re making changes to SH3 Ōhaupō Road in Glenview to support a new bus interchange on Glenview Road and improve safety and connections for people who are walking and cycling. Construction is expected to start in August 2022.
• Safe and reliable access around the Coromandel is a high priority for the region. A number of bridges have been upgraded, improved or maintained, with work progressing on the replacement of the SH26 Onetai Bridge and SH25 Pepe Bridge.
• A 110km/h speed limit change was proposed for the Waikato Expressway during consultation in late 2021. The new speed limit of 110km/h was confirmed and took effect from 13 July 2022.
• The new and safer $14.6 million SH30 Kopaki Rail Overbridge replacement construction is underway and scheduled to be open to traffic in April 2023.

Improving safety

As part of the delivery of New Zealand’s road safety strategy, Road to Zero, we’ve identified two Waikato corridors and six intersections where safety improvements could make a big difference in saving lives. Feasibility studies are underway to assess the scope, cost, risk and timeframes of the safety improvements. These studies will inform the decision of whether to progress the project to the next stages. Funding will need to be applied for beyond the feasibility phase. Feasibility studies for safety improvements have started for the following locations:

• SH5 Tirau to Tārukenga corridor
• SH29 Piarere to SH28 corridor
• SH2 and SH27 intersection
• SH23 and SH39 intersection
• SH3 and Raynes Road intersection
• SH3 and SH4 intersection
• SH1 and Grey Street intersection
• SH1 Kahikatea Drive and Greenwood Street intersection

As part of the speed management programme, the Hamilton City SH1, SH3 and SH26 new safer speed limits were implemented in December 2021. We also engaged with the public on speeds on SH24 Matamata to SH29 and SH29A. Recommendations for speed changes are currently being finalised before progressing to consultation.

Construction work is underway on safety improvements between SH1/SH29 Piarere to SH5 Wairākei. Work is underway to construct the first median barrier section – a 4.24km section of road north of Maroa Road and Tram Road. Detailed design is underway on a 6.86km section from Atiamuri Bridge to Thorpe Road with construction expected to commence in late 2022.

The detailed design phase is progressing for safety improvements (including a median and roadside barrier) on SH1 between Taupō airport and Hātepe. The existing 100km/hr limit will remain whilst safety barriers are being delivered.

Work to widen the road and install flexible median safety barriers and roadside barriers between Napier Road and Centennial Drive on the SH1 East Taupo Arterial was completed in April 2022. The next stage of safety improvement work on the section between Centennial Drive and Wairākei is expected to start in late 2024, subject to funding.

Cambridge to Piarere:

• SH1 Cambridge to Piarere Road to Zero safety improvements continue. Stage 2 has started which will see 4.24km of median barriers installed.
• The NZ Upgrade Programme SH1/SH29 intersection project is progressing.
• For long-term safety improvements – a preferred route for a four-lane expressway was identified and engagement has been undertaken with landowners and key stakeholders.
• An addendum to the business case was made in 2022 to consider walking and cycling opportunities.

Annual maintenance

We’re spending $840 million this NLTP period on maintenance of state highways and local roads across Waikato to provide safe and reliable access and have completed a successful summer of annual maintenance and operations.

Funding overview

Overview map

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