This Road of National Significance project will create an efficient and reliable route through Richmond, while supporting economic growth and productivity.
State Highway 6 (SH6) provides a vital regional connection between Port Nelson and the wider Upper South Island, supporting communities, freight movement, and economic activity. It links people and goods to key destinations across the region, including business hubs and transport networks.
Travel demand on SH6 regularly exceeds capacity during peak periods, particularly along the Richmond Deviation. This results in delays and unreliable journey times, with congestion often spilling onto local roads as drivers seek alternative routes. As regional growth and travel demand continue to rise, journey times and reliability will deteriorate further.
The route of the Hope Bypass was designated in 1964. The Resource Management Act allows for ‘requiring authorities’ (such as NZTA, a council, Minister or network utility operator) to notify the council that an area of land is to be designated for a public work (such as a road or telecommunications facility, or school). A designation protects the site/ route for future work, for that specific purpose.
Richmond is growing at a significant rate, with development in Richmond West and planned development in Richmond South areas occurring sooner than originally anticipated. Due to this growth, in 2021, NZTA undertook the Richmond Transport Programme Business Case (PBC). The PBC was developed jointly between Tasman District Council and NZTA. The PBC highlighted the Hope Bypass as a long-term transportation route should additional capacity in the network be required based on future demand between Hope and Whakatu Drive. In response to this, the Hope Bypass designation (the southern end of the route) lapse date was extended from November 2023 until 1 November 2038. This project is one of the Roads of National Significance (RoNs).
We will continue to update this webpage as the project progresses and provide e-newsletter updates when we have more information to share.
NZ Transport Agency has completed the Investment case for the Hope Bypass, which has been endorsed by the NZTA Board. The investment case informs the decision to invest in the project.
During the investment case development, we worked with Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council to determine utilities and infrastructure and future projects that they have located on or near the designation or bypass route.
Now that the investment case is endorsed, we can move into detailed design of changes between SH6 Salisbury interchange (SH6/Link Road roundabout) to SH60 Appleby and SH6 Gladstone Road intersection.
We will also proceed with geo-tech investigations, surveying and other technical assessments, which will lay the groundwork required for future construction.
The next phase includes engagement with iwi partners and impacted landowners. In November 2025, we held community drop-in sessions so that people could learn more about the project. Further community drop-in sessions will be held in the future to share the detailed design.
In January 2026, we awarded the design contract to Stantec and WSP. Their appointment secures the professional services needed to support the detailed design and statutory approvals for the project.
Full costs and timeframes for the construction phase of this project are yet to be finalised. These will be confirmed once further decisions on the wider RoNS programme are made.
CloseOur investment case for the project canvassed previous investigations and business cases and refined designs to develop a recommended option which aligns with the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 (GPS). Once delivered, the project will provide the following outcomes:
The recommended approach in the investment case is to prioritise work to address the key congestion areas on the transport network through Richmond. As regional growth and travel demand continue to rise, journey times and reliability are forecast to deteriorate.
The investment case proposes a staged implementation approach.
Stage 1 focuses on the corridor between Lower Queen Street/Gladstone Road intersection and the SH6/Link Road roundabout (Salisbury Road Extension). This section was identified as the most congested part of the project area.
This proposal includes a new grade separated interchange on SH6 at Salisbury Road Extension, which would build a local road over the state highway. This interchange is located by the Main Road Stoke roundabout and the SH6/Link Road roundabout.
The proposal also includes upgrading the Richmond Deviation to four lanes and making improvements to Lower Queen Street and Gladstone Road intersection, increasing the turning capacity. These changes deliver early congestion relief ahead of the proposed Stage 2 works.
Stage 2 includes a new 4-lane Richmond bypass (on the existing designation which is currently part of the railway reserve), a new four-lane grade-separated interchange at Gladstone Road/Lower Queen Street intersection, and a new 2-lane roundabout at SH60 intersection.
The work carried out in Stage 2 at the Lower Queen Street/Gladstone Road intersection, builds on the Stage 1 intersection upgrades. The Stage 2 grade-separated interchange at this intersection will provide additional capacity when it is required.
The designation between SH60/Gladstone Road intersection out to Eden Road in Hope is to be retained for future development.
The project will seek to retain cycleway routes and connections.
SH6 Hope Bypass investment case summary [PDF, 440 KB]
CloseThe Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS 2024) requires NZTA to consider tolling for all new roads.
The Investment Case for the Hope Bypass recommends tolling to support the construction and maintenance of the road.
Once we have completed further planning and design, the next step is to seek approval from the Minister of Transport to proceed to public consultation on tolling the Hope Bypass.
If approved, public consultation will occur once construction funding is confirmed.
CloseSome of the Great Taste Trail sits on the designation of the bypass. We know the trail is important to the Tasman and Nelson communities. The project will retain cycleway routes and connections. More information on how this will be incorporated into the project will be provided as we work through detailed design.
CloseRichmond is growing at a significant rate, with development in the Richmond West and planned development in Richmond South areas occurring sooner than originally anticipated.
Due to this growth, in 2021, NZTA undertook the Richmond Transport Programme Business Case (PBC). The PBC was developed jointly between Tasman District Council and NZTA.
The PBC did highlight further investigations of a route from Hope to Whakatu Drive (including the Hope Bypass designation) in the longer-term. The Hope Bypass project has now been prioritised for delivery as one of the Roads of National Significance.
Richmond Transport Programme Business Case
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