Road projects across New Zealand: What’s happening with Roads of National Significance near you

What’s under construction?

Ōtaki to north of Levin: The latest information from NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is that it should be completed by late 2029. This was an existing project when National entered office, but it was later elevated to a Rons. Hawke’s Bay Expressway: Also expected to finish in late 2029. This wasn’t initially one of National’s Rons but was made one when the party began governing. Takitimu North Link Stage 1: The first stage of this road is expected to be completed in 2028. Another project where some work was already underway in 2023, but was made into a Rons by National. Tauriko West (Omanawa Bridge): NZTA says this began construction in late 2025 and was expected to take about two years to complete. The latest Government information indicates completion in 2028. Other “wider scope” work on SH29 Tauriko is in early stages.

What’s very close to having construction start?

Northland Corridor – Warkworth to Te Hana: The final stages of procurement are underway for this road, and construction is due to start before the end of the year. It’s not due to be completed until the mid-2030s. Cambridge to Piarere: Stage 1 of this project is expected to start construction in early next year and the second stage later that year. It received $1.773b in Budget 2026 and won’t be done until the early-to-mid 2030s.

What is being prepared for construction?

Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass: Detailed designs for this project have been completed and provisional consent granted. Property acquisition and other preparatory work is happening. Its progression is subject to funding. NZTA has said it’s expected to take about four years to complete once work starts. Mill Road Stage 1: This is also in the pre-implementation stage, with early works happening on the project corridor. It is characterised as “implementation ready” from 2027, subject to funding availability. Takitimu North Link Stage 2: This project just received approvals under the fast-track approvals regime. The process for property acquisition is underway while design work happens. This pre-implementation phase is expected to finish next year. Its progression is then subject to funding availability. Hope Bypass Stage 1: A contract for this project’s design was awarded earlier this year and is expected to be completed by mid-2027. Community engagement is likely to occur later this year to share some designs. As with other projects, its future is subject to funding availability.

What projects are further out?

SH1 Wellington Improvements: This project is shown to be in the “route protection” stage. This means land is being identified and protected for use as a public work. Hydrogeological investigations have been underway, as have community engagement sessions. This project is expected to progress into the “pre-implementation/implementation” stage early in the 2027-37 slate, subject to funding. Northland Corridor – Alternative to Brynderwyn Hills: This is also in the “route protection” stage. Applications have been lodged for approvals under the fast-track regime. It’s also expected to move forward to pre-implementation sometime early in 2027-37 once there is funding. Hamilton Southern Links: The investment case for this project has been sorted out and endorsed by the NZTA board. The latest from the transport agency is that technical investigation work has been underway in the area. No further timeframes are given in the pipeline. North-West Alternative Highway: On the infographic the Government shared today, this project is shown out of the investment case and route protection stages and is “progressing to pre-implementation/implementation”. NZTA’s website says “there is currently no funding for detailed design or construction of this project” and “we anticipate the project will be delivered sometime within the next 30 years to align with Auckland Council’s land use planning”.

What’s in the slow lane?

Each of these projects is in the “continuing more slowly” phase of the pipeline. They are either listed as being in the investment case or route protection stage, but nothing is confirmed beyond that. Some technical investigation work is happening at some sites.

Northland Corridor – Te Hana to Whangārei (excluding Alternative to Brynderwyn Hills) East-West Link Mill Road – Alfriston to Drury Petone to Grenada Hope Bypass Stage 2

The need for a plan prioritising the roads has become evident over the past year, with Bishop upfront about the “hard choices” and “challenges” facing the Government in terms of funding the Rons, expected to cost more than $56 billion over 20 years.

That’s just one part of what the Ministry of Transport last year estimated to be a “quarter of a trillion dollars” expected to be invested in land transport if all planned projects come to fruition. Other costs include repaying debt, maintaining current services, and future big projects.

Those cost pressures were brought back into the spotlight when the war in the Middle East kicked off.

Briefings obtained by the Herald showed initial concerns for the transport sector due to the conflict ranged from higher construction costs because of increased fuel prices and impacted bitumen supply, to less tax revenue if people drove less.

Bishop added today that fuel excise duty (part of the price people pay at the pump) had fallen 21% in real terms since 2020 when it was last increased.

“The pipeline shows why a phased approach to delivering the Roads of National Significance is important,” he said.

“As I’ve said many times, not all projects can start immediately. It takes time to get projects ready for construction, with route protection (designations and consenting), detailed design, and property acquisition all needing to be completed before main construction works can begin.”

Both Labour and the Greens are criticising the Government, however, saying today’s pipeline shows National’s transport promises from the last election were never realistic.

“National promised communities these projects would be delivered. Now it’s quietly admitting many have no funding to get built,” Labour’s Tangi Utikere said.

“They over-promised, under-budgeted and are now walking back the certainty they sold at the election.”

The Greens’ Julie-Anne Genter said communities had lost out.

“After years of pressure to front up on how it would pay for its roading wishlist, the Government has released less a pipeline and more a pipe dream, with no clear way to fund its mega-projects.

“Putting projects in the ‘slow lane’ is an admission that the numbers don’t stack up for the Government’s $56b Roads of National Significance programme.”

Bishop accepted today that National’s promises had been “very ambitious”, but he denied the new pipeline was a backdown, pointing to the challenging conditions.

Jamie Ensor is the NZ Herald’s chief political reporter, based in the press gallery at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. He was a finalist in 2025 for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.