Investment In Northland Infrastructure Vital For Growth, Say Industry Leaders

Two leading national industry bodies are supporting Northland’s roading infrastructure drive.

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasiah, and Nick Leggett, Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand, are backing the Northland Corporate Group report for critical infrastructure investment in Northland.

Recognising the economic potential that lies untapped in the region, both organisations are urging the Government to prioritise the upgrade of State Highway 1 (SH1) between Whangarei and Auckland.

The report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) quantifies the immense economic advantages of upgrading the vital roading link between Auckland and Northland. It underscores the necessity of a four-lane expressway to facilitate seamless connectivity between the two regions, emphasising the potential for significant economic growth, reduced travel times and operating costs, and enhanced safety.

“The current state of Northland's highway network acts as a significant barrier to economic growth in the region,” Dom Kalasiah says.

“Transporting heavy freight through Northland can be perilous and this inhibits Northport’s ability to service Auckland. However, with strategic infrastructure investments, billions of dollars in economic potential could be unlocked, benefiting not only Northland but also the wider country.”

Infrastructure New Zealand and Ia Ara Aotearoa acknowledge the Government's designation of SH1 as a ‘Road of National Significance' and its commitment to upgrading the highway. However, they believe that further commitments are necessary to fully realise the economic benefits of a wholesale upgrade of the route.

“The case for a Northland Expressway is about backing Northland to succeed, but it’s also about resilience and the growth of Auckland,” Nick Leggett says.

“Our regions can’t sit in splendid isolation, they need resilient 21st century connections to our major centres. We believe the government should fast-track the commitments they have already made for SH1 through Northland.”

Those commitments include the construction of a four-lane highway alternative to the Brynderwyns and the extension of four-lane upgrades from Warkworth to Whangarei.

Ia Ara Aotearoa and Infrastructure New Zealand support the Northland Corporate Group in its recommendation that the Government commit to a four-lane expressway along the entire length of SH1 to Auckland, with a vision of enhancing accessibility to Northland by 2040.

"We agree that it’s time to empower the North and unleash its economic potential for the benefit of its communities and New Zealand. The Government should push hard and deliver a comprehensive expressway through public private partnerships to get the entire route completed faster and to a high standard,” say Kalasiah and Leggett.

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