New Zealand Breaks Ground on Warkworth‑to‑Te Hana Motorway, a $3.65 B Road of National Significance

Transport Minister Chris Bishop and project partners turned the first sod on the Warkworth‑to‑Te Hana section of the Northland Expressway, marking the start of construction on New Zealand’s first Road of National Significance in the wider Northland Corridor. The motorway will link directly to the 18‑km Pūhoi‑to‑Warkworth motorway via a free‑flow interchange at Woodcocks Road, providing an alternative to the existing State Highway 1 route through the Dome Valley. The 15‑bridge, 12‑wetland‑basin, twin‑tunnel corridor is projected to prevent 145 deaths and serious injuries over its lifetime, save motorists seven to ten minutes per journey, and divert about 1,000 heavy vehicles daily from SH1. Built under a public‑private partnership by the Northway consortium, the $3.65 billion project has a benefit‑cost ratio of 1.6 and is expected to create 400 site‑based roles, rising to roughly 1,000 during main construction, with 60 % of spending flowing through local supply chains. The motorway is slated to open in 2033.