Wellington: The New Zealand government is fast-tracking construction of a new four-lane highway between Auckland and Whangārei. The project is part of the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) program.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown says the new road will boost the Northland economy. “For too long, poor transport links have held the region back,” he said.
The government plans to use a public-private partnership to speed up the project. This model will cover planning, design,construction, maintenance, and operation.
Brown said this approach will cut construction time by up to 10 years compared to traditional methods. The entire Northland Expressway will be designed and built as one project, streamlining the process.
The project is massive. A recent report estimated that just one section of the highway could add nearly half a billion dollars to the nation’s GDP.
Brown said the government is exploring different funding options to accelerate the project.
Once complete, the highway will improve travel times and safety between Auckland and Northland, boosting economic growth.