The New Zealand Upgrade Programme for Waikato and Bay of Plenty will improve safety, provide more travel choices and support continued growth of the area.
Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty are part of the Upper North Island’s Golden Triangle, home to more than half of New Zealand’s population. The transport corridors in these regions are critical to support the safe travel of a growing number of visitors and residents, and to get goods to market.
Takitimu North Link stage one, a 6.8km four lane expressway between Tauranga and Te Puna, will start construction later this year, subject to property negotiations.
State Highway 2 (SH2) is a busy highway with a poor safety record. Takitimu North Link stage one will significantly improve safety and accessibility, build resilience, support growth and provide more transport choice for communities. The project is a key part of the region’s SmartGrowth strategy.
The Government had decided Takitimu North Link stage two will be progressed to route protection. Further work beyond this, including construction, will require funding through the National Land Transport Programme. This won’t occur within the next three years and is unlikely within the next 10 years.
At the SH1/SH29 intersection in Piarere, a new roundabout will improve safety for those travelling between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga and be future proofed for the extension of the expressway.
This project will improve safety and access on what is a route with high tourism and freight traffic volumes. Connecting the three largest urban centres in the upper North Island, two ports and the largest international airport, SH1/29 is used by a wide range of vehicles, including tourist vehicles and commercial tourism transport companies.
Updates to the Takitimu North Link [PDF, 692 KB]
