New New Zealand road connections being planned

A degree of confusion now surrounds a proposed road project for New Zealand worth US$1.32 billion. The proposal was for a four lane road link to connect State Highway 20 with State Highway 1, close to Mount Wellington on the southern side of Auckland. The project called for upgrades to an existing road as well as the construction of new pedestrian and cycling facilities and new link roads for Penrose and Onehunga. Although approval has been given for the work, the New Zealand Government has now decided not to proceed with the project. It remains to be seen whether the project will be revived or if it will be scrapped entirely. Auckland’s traffic congestion is a major problem for commuters at peak periods and unjamming the city’s roads remains a key priority.

However a more positive outlook is being given to the redevelopment of the Northland area. The Auckland to Northland road will benefit from safety improvements, while links with the Bay of Plenty and Waikato will also be upgraded.