NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is progressing design investigations within the emerging preferred corridor for Section 2 and Section 3 of the Northland Corridor Roads of National Significance project announced by Transport Minister, Hon. Chris Bishop earlier today.

The emerging preferred corridor for the 45km section between Te Hana and Port Marsden Highway (Section 2) and the 26km section between Port Marsden Highway and Whangārei (Section 3) allow further work to get underway to deliver benefits faster for Northland communities and businesses.

The individual sections within the emerging preferred corridor are:

Section 2: Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway 

• Section 2A: A new route to the east of SH1 between Te Hana and Brynderwyn Hills
• Section 2B: A new route to the near east of SH1 at the Brynderwyn Hills
• Section 2C: A new route to the west of SH1 between Brynderwyn Hills and Port Marsden Highway

Section 3: Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei 

• Section 3A: A new road near to SH1 between Port Marsden Highway and SH15 Loop Road
• Section 3B: A widened existing SH1 corridor approaching urban Whangārei

NZTA Northland Corridor Programme Director, Derek Robertson, says NZTA is working at pace to deliver a safer, more resilient and more efficient road for Northland.

“The Northland Corridor will address the critical resilience and safety issues facing the current road.”

Mr Robertson acknowledges that while this is a very exciting time for Northland, it’s an uncertain time for landowners in the emerging preferred corridor area.

“Now that we have identified the emerging preferred corridor, we will start contacting potentially impacted landowners who are within the area to let them know the next steps. Due to the size of the project, this will take time, but we are working hard to contact landowners as quickly as we can.

“The emerging preferred corridor is a larger area than will be required for the final route. Within the emerging preferred corridor there are still several different places the road may go.

“The next piece of work we do will be to refine this route further so we understand more about where the final road will go, and the land that may be required for it.

“We expect to narrow down the emerging preferred corridor to the preferred route for NZTA Board for endorsement in August/September this year. After that we will be able to confirm the preferred route and provide landowners with greater certainty about any impacts to their properties.”

Alongside this, NZTA is continuing work on Section 1 Ara Tūhono - Warkworth to Te Hana. The procurement process got underway last month and detailed design and construction for this section is expected to begin at the end of next year. A completion date for Ara Tūhono - Warkworth to Te Hana will be confirmed following procurement but is currently expected to be around 2034.

“The Northland Corridor will be a vital link between Northland and Auckland, unlocking economic growth and productivity, and allowing people and freight to move efficiently, quickly and safely across the region. It will bring the resilience Northland needs to thrive after years of significant road closures due to severe weather events,” Mr Robertson says.

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