News & Media Releases
New Manukau motorway to open this year
22 June 2010
A big change is planned for those travelling in and around Manukau when the NZ Transport Agency’s SH20-1 Manukau Extension motorway opens later this year.
The new 4.5 kilometre, four-lane motorway will connect State Highway 1 with State Highway 20 and includes interchanges at SH1, Lambie Drive and Cavendish Drive.
The new motorway will replace Wiri Station Road as the primary route between SH1 and SH20. Instead of having to pass through 12 sets of traffic lights, motorists will use the new motorway.
The new motorway will be opened progressively in three stages. There will be some disruption to traffic on local roads as each part opens and temporary detours will be in place.
The first part of the new motorway to open will be the southbound lanes in August. This will allow motorists to access the new interchanges at Cavendish Drive and Lambie Drive and will provide direct connections to SH1 north and south.
The second stage is the westbound lanes which are scheduled to open in September, allowing traffic to travel from SH1 and Lambie Drive onto the new motorway.
However when the westbound lanes open, motorists on Roscommon Road will not be able to access the lanes using the Cavendish Drive Interchange. Instead they will have to follow a detour via Wiri Station Road to Lambie Drive to get onto SH20.
This is to allow the connecting road between the Cavendish and Puhinui Interchanges and the westbound on-ramp to be completed. The Puhinui Stream will also be realigned during this time.
After this work, the connecting road will open and the Cavendish Interchange will become fully operational. In December the motorway project will be completely finished. Motorists will be able to access the motorway and the airport from Cavendish Drive.
The new motorway will bring considerable relief to traffic on local roads such as Great South Road and Wiri Station Road, as through traffic will be able to completely bypass central Manukau.
For more information, phone 0800 SH20-2-1 (0800 742 021) or visit www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/manukauextension.
