📋 Tender Overview
Combined funding of nearly 1.2 billion will see the Governments Roads of National Significance programme move to the next phase of development, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
The Government is committed to building a long-term pipeline of transport infrastructure investments to redress New Zealands infrastructure deficit and build jobs and growth for Kiwis, Mr Bishop says.
Our Roads of National Significance RoNS programme is a vital part of this pipeline, and Im pleased to see good progress on getting these important projects ready for delivery.
The NZ Transport Agency NZTA Board has now endorsed investment cases for all of the RoNS, with the most recent endorsements including Sections 2 and 3 of the Northland Expressway, the East West Link, Hamilton Southern Links, Petone to Grenada and Cross Valley Link, SH1 Wellington Improvements including a new Mt Victoria tunnel, and the Hope Bypass. These investment case summaries have now been published on NZTAs website.
The Board has also approved more than 675m in funding to progress consenting, design, route protection, site investigations, and some early works. In addition, more than 515m is expected to be used from approved RoNS property funding to enable local property acquisition to get underway on these projects.
The NZTA Boards endorsement of these investment cases, and approval of funding for next steps, ensures progress on these projects can continue at pace.
Its part of the Governments work to ensure New Zealand has a credible pipeline of high value infrastructure projects extending into the future, and that theyre ready to go as funding becomes available.
Its important that we also have a clear plan for delivery, including well-reasoned prioritisation to inform the order in which these RoNS are funded and delivered. The Government will have more to say about that in the coming months.
Todays news complements work already underway on other RoNS, including Warkworth to Te Hana, Cambridge to Piarere, Takitimu North Link Stage 1 and 2, SH29 Tauriko West, Mill Road Stage 1, Hawkess Bay Expressway, Otaki to north of Levin, Belfast to Pegasus and Woodend Bypass, and the SH16 alternative.
The Northland Expressway represents a transformational opportunity to boost jobs and growth in a region rich with potential. The investment case has confirmed the preferred route, with delivery readiness being prioritised for an alternative to the Brynderwyn Hills in line with our coalition agreement with New Zealand First, Mr Bishop says.
Overall, the investment case shows strong benefits with travel times reduced by up to 38 mins between Te Hana and Whangarei, deaths and serious injuries reduced by 66 per cent, travel time delay reduced by 64 per cent, and resilience risk reduced by 82 per cent on average. The Benefit Cost Ratio BCR is 1.4.
Next steps for NZTA include property acquisition, with consents and designation for an alternative to the Brynderwyn Hills section 2b expected to be lodged using the Fast-track Approvals Act FTAA by the end of March 2026. Designations for the remainder of the corridor are expected to be lodged via the FTAA by late 2026.
The Northland Expressway is expected to be built in stages over multiple National Land Transport Programme NLTP periods. This allows NZTA to focus delivery of priority benefits sooner, alleviate resilience and safety issues, and provide a strong pipeline of staged work for the construction sector as funding allows in future.
East West Link
The Onehunga-Penrose area is a critical part of Aucklands economy, generating 8 per cent of the regions GDP. Strategically located between SH1, SH20, and the national rail network, the East West Link will help unlock economic potential, improve travel times, and reduce congestion, Mr Bishop says.
The investment case for the East West Link shows it represents a strong case for investment with time in congestion reduced by almost 30 per cent, travel time savings of up to 11.6 mins to SH1 and up to 3.2 mins to SH20. The BCR is 2.6 tolled/un-tolled, or 3.2 with Wider Economic Benefits WEBs included.
The East West Link is expected to be built in stages, allowing NZTA to focus on unlocking incremental benefits to the network over time and spreading the cost over multiple NLTP periods. Next steps include route protection for the full project, detailed design of Stage 1 Galway Link, consents, and property acquisition.
Hamilton Southern Links
The Waikato region plays a critical role in our economy, with its location making it a vital freight and distribution hub in the supply chain. By 2048, an extra 224,000 people are expected to be living in the Waikato and its crucial we have transport networks that can keep Hamilton and the Waikato moving, Mr Bishop says.
The investment case for Hamilton Southern Links is strong, with expected travel times reductions of 14 mins between Tamahere and western Hamilton. By 2055, it will also supportaccess to 17,300 new houses and 7,100 new jobs. The BCR is 1.9 un-tolled, 1.6 tolled, and 2.3 with WEBs included.
Next steps for NZTA include further design, updating the designation and regional consents, and acquiring remaining property. Much like other projects, Hamilton Southern Links is expected to be built in stages, spreading the construction and cost over multiple NLTP periods as construction funding becomes available.
Petone to Grenada and Cross Valley Link
North of Wellington, SH1 and SH2 suffer significant traffic congestion, with both corridors carrying over 70,000 vehicles daily. The Petone to Grenada and Cross Valley Link project P2G and CVL will support economic and housing growth, with significant travel time savings and better connectivity, Mr Bishop says.
The investment case for Petone to Grenda has confirmed a preferred and viable route, with travel time savings at peak of up to 23 mins between Lower Hutt and Porirua. The project also supports planned housing growth of more than 30,000 houses in Tawa, Porirua, and Hutt City
