Work has kicked off on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) as the Government continues to move at pace to deliver infrastructure that enables Kiwis and freight to get to where they want to go quickly and safely, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

“The Government is keeping its promise to New Zealanders to deliver a new generation of RoNS across the country that reduce congestion, unlock land for thousands of new houses, and boost economic growth as we rebuild the economy to reduce the cost of living. Delivering the infrastructure this country needs is a key part of our plan to rebuild the economy and boost productivity,” Mr Brown says.

“Early works have now started on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway RoNS to four-lane this critical corridor that carries 29,000 vehicles a day and links freight to one of New Zealand’s largest ports. The growing population and economy mean that the central section of this road is reaching capacity at peak times. Starting work now allows the NZTA to maximise the 2025/2026 construction season and bring forward the construction of this project by 12 to 15 months.”

The Government is prioritising 17 RoNS which were highlighted in the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport, with seven new projects to begin procurement, enabling works and construction in the next three years.

“New Zealand has an infrastructure deficit, and our Government is taking action to fix it. It’s not enough to just talk about projects and write endless business cases. Kiwis voted for a Government that would get on and build the infrastructure that our country needs. That is what we are doing, and we’re pleased to be able to show action within our first year.

“Four-laning the Hawke’s Bay Expressway will unleash national and regional economic growth and productivity by reducing travel times, increasing resilience, and improving safety for motorists.

“The Hawke’s Bay Expressway was critical to the resilience of the region during Cyclone Gabrielle, with other routes being cut off. This Road of National Significance will increase capacity, resilience, support residential growth, and provide a boost to the local economy by helping move freight more quickly to the Napier Port.

“NZTA is prioritising the Taradale Road to Pākowhai Road section of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway as it is the most congested part of the road, and will help ensure more reliable journey times for commuters and freight operators in the Bay.

“The Government will be delivering the benefits of better road infrastructure to Kiwis and businesses across the country, as progress ramps up on several other Roads of National Significance projects. Takitimu North Link Stage 1 is already underway, Ōtaki to North of Levin will begin construction next year, and the Northland Expressway is currently undergoing geotechnical work.

“The RoNS projects previously built by National are some of New Zealand’s most successful State Highway corridors, reducing congestion and improving safety.Moving at pace to build a new generation of RoNS signals our Government’s focus on prioritising investments that deliver real value to commuters and businesses.”

Notes:

• The Hawke’s Bay Expressway project is a 27-kilometre corridor that will be delivered indicatively in four stages to allow for rapid delivery over a number of years, allowing for design of one section to occur in parallel to another section. Planned stages and scope are as follows:
• Stage 1: Taradale Road to Pākowhai Road.
• Stage 2: Pākowhai Road to Omahu Road and Taradale Road to Prebensen Drive.
• Stage 3 and 4: Watchman Road to Prebensen Drive and Omahu Road to Pakipaki.
• Ground improvement enabling works are required along State Highway 2 in the Hawke’s Bay to ready the corridor for construction. The enabling works will occur over the next 3-4 months and include clearing existing vegetation, then placing safe repurposed Cyclone Gabrielle silt to raise the level of the land and create a wide, flat surface. This process speeds up the natural process of compaction, allowing the soil to settle and the sediment to consolidate, prior to further construction works commencing.
• Planning and design of the Stage 1 main works has already begun, with an investment case due to the NZTA Board later this year. Pending approval, construction is expected to begin on Stage 1 in late 2025. Stage 1 will focus on improvements to the section of Expressway that is most congested during peak traffic, which is 6.5km of SH2 between the roundabouts at Taradale Road and Pākowhai/Links Road.

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