Moonshine Hill Road intersection
Construction is expected to start from October 2025 with expected completion by the end of the year to upgrade the SH2 Upper Hutt Moonshine Hill Road intersection at Riverstone Terraces.
You told us this intersection felt unsafe, and we listened.
- Traffic lights will be installed to make turning safer and reduce crash risk.
- Additional cycling safety measures are being added to support safer travel for everyone.
- Raised safety platforms have been removed from the design.
- A speed limit review is underway with public consultation required under the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024, starting soon.
These changes reflect community feedback and updated Government rules and investment priorities.
Project overview
We’re continuing work to make State Highway 2 (SH2) safer through upgrades to high-risk intersections, including the Moonshine Hill Road intersection at Riverstone Terraces. This is one of over 10 intersections targeted for improvement along the 25km stretch between Ngāūranga and Upper Hutt.
Why this work matters
- The intersection has a high crash rate, especially side-impact collisions.
- The current layout is unsafe for high-speed, high-volume traffic.
- The upgrade will make turning movements safer and more predictable, reducing the risk of serious crashes.
What we heard
- Strong community support for traffic lights or a roundabout.
- Calls for lower speed limits (70–80km/h).
- Concerns about Moonshine Bridge capacity and cycling safety.
What’s happening next
- Construction will begin soon to install traffic lights at this high-risk intersection
- Additional cycling safety measures for safer cycling
- A speed limit change from 100km/h to 80km/h is proposed, extending the 80km/h zone by 2km.
- Public consultation will include costs, safety impacts, and travel time impacts for the speed limit review. Consultation will begin on Friday 1 August 2025. More information about the speed review and consultation can be found here:
SH2 Moonshine Hill Road to north of Whakatiki Street speed review consultation
Intersection upgrade highlights
View larger SH2 Riverstone intersection upgrade map [PDF, 2.2 MB]
New traffic lights
- Traffic signals will help vehicles move safely and smoothly through this intersection and help to avoid confusion and crashes. Different traffic flows will be able to share the same space more efficiently, especially during busy times. Travel time will be more reliable and stop/start driving will be reduced.
Northbound traffic
- SH2 northbound traffic will only stop at the lights when needed. If no southbound vehicles are waiting to turn right, the lights will stay green to keep traffic moving.
- Traffic turning left onto SH2 from Moonshine Hill Road, or left onto Moonshine Hill Road from SH2, in the northbound direction will use the existing slip lanes and merge.
Safer turning for southbound traffic
- Southbound traffic turning right into and turning right out of Moonshine Hill Road will have safer, more predictable opportunities to turn using the new traffic lights.
Southbound through traffic
- Traffic heading straight south on SH2 won’t need to stop, it will continue through the intersection without delay.
A proposed lower speed for a safer intersection
- The proposed lower speed would help to make this intersection safer and the traffic lights work more efficiently. It reduces the risk and severity of crashes, and helps prevent long delays caused by crashes. Rather than slow traffic down and increase congestion, a lower speed limit here will help traffic flow more efficiently and predictably for all road users.
Background and safety statistics
- Between 2020–2025 there were 5 serious crashes and 1 fatality at this intersection. There have also been 16 minor crashes and 43 non-injury crashes.
- SH2 carries nearly 30,000 vehicles daily, with traffic increasing by 1,600 vehicles/day since 2020.
- This upgrade is part of a broader programme to improve safety and reduce delays, subject to funding and timing.
- Earlier consultation showed strong support for speed reductions and intersection redesigns.
What else is being proposed for SH2 intersections?
View larger SH2 Ngāūranga to Upper Hutt safety improvements map [PDF, 1 MB]
Owen Street
At Owen Street, the proposed upgrade includes installing traffic signals to better control the four-way intersection, and a proposed speed limit reduction. A speed limit review will be undertaken alongside this project to better control the four-way intersection. This is likely to be the first stage of further improvements that will be made later in the project.
We will advise the public when these changes are expected to go ahead.
There are further intersection safety improvements which will be done at later stages as per the map above.
What has been completed?
Hebden Crescent intersections
- In 2024 we completed safety improvement at the two Hebden Crescent/SH2 intersections.
- The right-hand turn at the intersection by Liverton Road was removed. Vehicles can no longer turn right onto SH2, nor can they turn right into Hebden Crescent.
- The intersection further south, near Owen Street was closed so vehicles can no longer turn in or out of this intersection.
- Vehicles needing to access Hebden Crescent should now use either Liverton Road intersection or the SH58 Haywards Interchanges, as per the map below.
View larger Hebden Crescent map [PDF, 116 KB]
View the full information brochure [PDF, 1.1 MB]
Cornish Street intersection
In 2024, we permanently closed the Cornish Street intersection to SH2, in Petone.
