Waikato Expressway

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Waikato Expressway

Route information
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency
Length101.4 km (63.0 mi)
Existed8 May 1993–present
Component
highways		SH 1
Tourist
routes		Thermal Explorer Highway
Major junctions
North endBombay Hills
Auckland Southern Motorway
Major intersections
South endJust south of Cambridge
Location
CountryNew Zealand
Primary
destinations		Pōkeno, Mercer, Meremere, Te Kauwhata, Rangiriri
Highway system

The Waikato Expressway is a dual carriageway section of SH 1 (SH 1) in New Zealand's Waikato region. Constructed in stages, it forms part of the link between Auckland and Hamilton. Currently stretching from Auckland to south of Cambridge,[1] the first section of the highway was built in 1993.[2] Throughout its lifetime, it has undergone many upgrades to optimise traffic flow throughout the Waikato region,[1] including various bypasses of many towns in the region, culminating with Hamilton in 2022.[3]

The final part of the Expressway was completed on 12 July 2022. The expressway forms a 101.4 km (63.0 mi)-long continuous four-lane dual carriageway from the Bombay Hills to beyond the town of Cambridge, 24 km (15 mi) south-east of Hamilton. Hamilton, as well as several other towns along the former route of SH 1 (such as Huntly, Ngāruawāhia, and Cambridge), have been completely bypassed by the expressway, allowing through traffic to move much more efficiently.[4]

History

While not officially designated as the Waikato Expressway until the early 2000s, the upgrading of SH 1 from the Bombay Hills to Mercer in 1992–93 can be considered the first step in construction of the expressway. In this upgrade, SH 1 from the end of the Southern Motorway to just north of Mercer was upgraded from two lanes to four, with grade-separated interchanges constructed at Bombay and the junction with SH 2 just north of the township of Pōkeno. A bypass of Pōkeno was also constructed at this time, as well as several partially separated interchanges to allow access for local property owners along the route.[2]

The Rangiriri to Ohinewai section was completed in 2003. The northern half of this section follows the pre-existing highway while the southern half of this section deviates from the original highway in order to bypass Ohinewai and features a diamond interchange on Tahuna Rd.[5]

The Mercer to Longswamp section from the Bombay Hills to Mercer was opened in July 2006. The former two-lane section of state highway is now the carriageway for northbound traffic, while a separate carriageway for southbound traffic was constructed in parallel.[6] A grade-separated interchange at Mercer was also constructed, incorporating an overpass for the southbound lanes to cross over the North Island Main Trunk railway (NIMT) at this point.

As the two dual carriageway sections of the expressway (Bombay Hills to Longswamp and Rangiriri to Ohinewai) were not continuous, the section of highway between Longswamp and Rangiriri was upgraded to a 2+1 road in 2005 with the intention of upgrading it to four lanes later.[7]

In 2009 the Waikato Expressway was announced by the Minister of Transport, Steven Joyce, as being one of seven "roads of national significance".[8]

The $210m[9] Mangaharakeke Drive section, originally known as the Te Rapa Bypass, was opened on 3 December 2012 between Horotiu and Rotokauri.[10] Construction of the section of the expressway and Mangaharakeke Drive between Taupiri and Horotiu, bypassing Ngāruawāhia, began in late 2011 and was officially opened on 14 December 2013.[11] It includes Te Rehu O Waikato Bridge over the Waikato River, and the 142 m (466 ft), 4-span, concrete-steel composite NIMTR Bridge over the NIMT and Onion Road extension, at a skew angle of 61°, which used 800 tonnes of structural steel.[9]

Following funding approval in December 2012[12] construction of the Rangiriri and Cambridge sections commenced in March and August 2013 respectively. The Cambridge section was opened officially on 15 December 2015[13][14] and to traffic the next day. The Rangiriri section mainline opened as a single carriageway on 21 June 2016,[15] and became fully operational as a dual carriageway on 13 April 2017.

Construction of the Huntly section began in late August 2015. Construction of the Hamilton section, the longest stretch, commenced in March 2016.[16] Construction of the Longswamp section, the last section to commence, began in October 2016[17] and it opened in December 2019.[18]

In May 2017, the NZTA started consulting on a 16 km (9.9 mi) extension of the expressway, from the current terminus at Cambridge south to the SH 29 intersection at Piarere.[19]

In December 2017, the Cambridge section became one of the first two sections of highway in New Zealand to be given a speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph).[20]

The final section, bypassing Hamilton,[1] was opened formally on 12 July 2022 and to traffic on 14 July 2022.[21] As of the completion of the final section, the resulting expressway is 102 km (63 mi) in length.[22] On the grand opening day for the final section, a celebration of the completion of the entire expressway project was held.[22] Since 13 July 2022, the speed limit in the section between Hampton Downs and Tamahere has been 110 km/h (68 mph).[23]

Section Location Length Cost Constructed Note
Pōkeno Bombay–Mercer 12 km −1995
Mercer Mercer–Hampton Downs 11 km $83.5m[24] −2006
Longswamp Hampton Downs–Te Kauwhata 6 km $115m[25] 2016–2019
Rangiriri Te Kauwhata–Ohinewai 5 km $105m[26] 2013–2017
Ohinewai Ohinewai bypass 7 km $24m[27] −2003
Huntly Ohinewai–Taupiri 15 km $458m[28] 2015–2020 Opened March 2020. New highway bypassing Huntly.[29]
Ngāruawāhia Taupiri–Horotiu 7 km $190m[30] 2011–2013 Opened December 2013. New highway bypassing Ngāruawāhia.
Te Rapa Horotiu–Rotokauri 10 km $195m[31] 2010–2012 Opened December 2012. New highway bypassing Te Rapa.
Hamilton Lake Road interchange–Tamahere 22 km $837m[32] 2016–2022 Opened July 2022. New highway bypassing Hamilton.
Tamahere Tamahere bypass 2 km 1995
Cambridge Tamahere–Cambridge south 16 km $250m[33] 2013–2015 Opened 16 December 2015. Upgraded highway from Tamahere to Cambridge north; new highway bypassing Cambridge.

Safety

On the 16 km (9.9 mi) Cambridge section in the year following its opening, up to 50 serious crashes were avoided because of road safety barriers.[34]

Economic benefits

A 2009 report for New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) concluded that the benefit cost ratio of the Expressway was 0.5, i.e. for every dollar of investment the return was 50 cents.[35]

The figures were reworked in 2010 because "Infometrics original RoNS analysis and report was concluded in December 2009. Since this time, NZTA published an updated conventional evaluation of the Waikato Expressway. The materiality of the change to the Waikato Expressway assessment warranted an update and re-run of the CGE model." The re-run model shows benefits of $186.3m pa, against annual costs of $87.3m. However, this is based on a total cost for the road of $1454.4m, which omits land costs, "as from an economy-wide perspective this is merely a transfer of ownership of an existing asset".[36] In June 2015 the NZTA estimated the total cost of the road at between $2,200m and $2,400m.[37] A critic has said that the calculations do not take account of the costs of owning and operating a vehicle on the roads, nor rising fuel costs.[38] In 2016 some MPs were concerned Auckland congestion would cut travel time savings and hence the cost-benefit ratio of 1.4:1. One MP commented that the alternative commuter train, with the same CBR, didn't "get a look in".[39]

The benefits were calculated on what was said to be a conservative estimate of 18,000 vehicles saving 15 minutes per day at a cost of $25/ hour, giving a yearly benefit of around $40 million.[40]

Future extension

In December 2020 the NZTA reported that an evaluation of extending the Waikato Expressway south of Cambridge 16 kilometers (10 mi) to the SH 1/SH 29 intersection at Piarere would be completed in 2021 but that there was as yet no funding for the project.[41] The extension would bypass the existing highway along the eastern shore of Lake Karapiro.[42]

Exit list

Territorial authorityLocationkmmiExitDestinationsNotes
Auckland (Franklin Local Board)Bombay471.5293.0471Great South Road – Bombay, Pukekohe
Bombay Service Centre		Northern terminus, SH 1 continues north as Auckland Southern Motorway
473.2294.0473Beaver Road East / Beaver Road WestNo east/west connection, left-in, left-out only in both directions
Waikato District474.5294.8474Nikau Road / Ridge Road
Pōkeno476.0295.8476Razorback Road / Helenslee RoadNorthbound entrance and southbound exit
476.7296.2477 SH 2 – Coromandel Peninsula, Tauranga
477.9297.0Great South Road – PōkenoNorthbound entrance and southbound exit
478.9297.6Great South Road – PōkenoNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
Pioneer RoadNorthbound left-in, left-out only
Pioneer RoadSouthbound exit only
Pioneer RoadAt-grade intersection, left and right turn in and left turn out only.
Mercer483300Mercer
MeremereOram RoadAt-grade intersection
Island Block Road – MeremereAt-grade intersection
Springhill Road – MeremereAt-grade intersection
Dragway RoadAt-grade intersection
Hampton Downs494307Hampton Downs Road – Hampton Downs, Spring Hill Corrections Facility
Te Kauwhata502312Te Kauwhata Road / Rodda Road – Te Kauwhata
Rangiriri504313Glen Murray Road – Rangiriri, Glen MurrayNo northbound entrance
Armitage RoadNorthbound entrance and exit only
Ohinewai510320Tahuna Road – Tahuna, Ohinewai
514319Great South Road – HuntlyNorthbound entrance and southbound exit
Taupiri528328 SH 1B (Gordonton Road) – Taupiri, Huntly, Ngāruawāhia
Horsham Downs535332 SH 1C (Mangaharakeke Drive) / Lake Road – Horotiu, Hamilton City, New Plymouth
539335Resolution Drive – Rototuna, Horsham Downs
Waikato District / Hamilton City boundaryChartwell547340Pardoa Boulevard / Greenhill Road – Chartwell
Ruakura552343 SH 26 (Ruakura Road) – Ruakura, Coromandel Peninsula
Waikato DistrictTamahere559347 SH 1C (Cambridge Road) – Hamilton City
561349 SH 21 (Airport Road) – Tamahere, Hamilton Airport
Waipa DistrictCambridge566352Cambridge Road – Cambridge (west)Northbound entrance and southbound exit
571355 SH 1B (Victoria Road) – Cambridge, Hautapu
576358Tirau Road (north) – CambridgeNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
Southern terminus, SH 1 continues south towards Tirau

Mangaharakeke Drive (Te Rapa spur)

Territorial authorityLocationkmmiExitDestinationsNotes
Waikato DistrictHorsham Downs SH 1 north (Waikato Expressway) – Huntly, Auckland
Mangaharakeke Drive begins
No northbound exit
Lake RoadNorthbound exit only
to Waikato Expressway southbound
Waikato District–Hamilton City boundaryHorotiuGreat South Road/Te Rapa Road – Te Rapa, Ngāruawāhia
Burbush SH 39 (Koura Drive) – Raglan, Ōtorohanga
Hamilton CityAvalonWairere Drive/Te Wetini DriveSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Avalon DriveMangaharakeke Drive ends

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Final section of the Waikato Expressway complete". The Beehive.
  2. ^ a b "Auckland Motorways 2008" (PDF). New Zealand Transport Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  3. ^ Lines-MacKenzie, Jo (27 June 2022). "Bye, bye Hamilton - State Highway 1 says haere rā, Kirikiriroa". Stuff.
  4. ^ "Waikato Expressway". NZ Transport Agency. 2009. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  5. ^ "Rangiriri to South of Ohinewai". Waikato Expressway. Transit New Zealand. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Traffic switches to new lanes at Mercer". Transit New Zealand Press release. 22 April 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Longswamp to Te Kauwhata Four-Laning". Waikato Expressway. Transit New Zealand. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Roads of national significance". NZ Transport Agency. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  9. ^ a b Chan, M.; Wiles, P. (Oct 2011). Waikato Expressway, Te Rapa Section: NIMTR Bridge. ISBN 978-1-921709-81-4.
  10. ^ "New length of Waikato Expressway now open to traffic". www.nzta.govt.nz. New Zealand Transport Agency. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Waikato Expressway contract awarded". NZ Transport Agency. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  12. ^ "Construction funding approved for two sections of the Waikato Expressway". NZTA. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  13. ^ "Associate Minister marks start of Waikato Expressway – Rangiriri". Waikato Expressway. New Zealand Transport Agency: Waikato Regional Office. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  14. ^ Henson, Narelle (31 August 2013). "$250m project brings bypass, bridges and 300 jobs". Waikato Times. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  15. ^ "Rangiriri section of Waikato Expressway set to open". Waikato Times. Stuff.co.nz. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  16. ^ "PM and Transport Minister turn sod on Hamilton section of Waikato Expressway". Waikato Times. 11 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Contract awarded for final part of Waikato Expressway". Waikato Times. Stuff.co.nz. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  18. ^ Jamie Ensor (18 December 2019). "Waikato Expressway: Longswamp section finally opening for Christmas motorists". Newshub. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  19. ^ "Tauranga turnoff 'black spot' to benefit from proposed expressway extension: Government". stuff.co.nz. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  20. ^ Phillipa Yalden (11 December 2017). "Waikato, Tauranga expressway speed limits rise to 110kmh". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  21. ^ Lines-MacKenzie, Jo (15 July 2022). "Hamilton section of Waikato Expressway open to traffic". Stuff.
  22. ^ a b "Waikato Expressway blessed and ready for motorists". NZ Herald. 14 July 2022.
  23. ^ Lines-MacKenzie, Jo (8 July 2022). "Zero speed tolerance on 110kmh Waikato Expressway, police say". Stuff.
  24. ^ "Opening of SH1 Mercer to Longswamp". The Beehive. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  25. ^ "Longswamp | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  26. ^ "Rangiriri | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  27. ^ "SH16 Hobsonville Deviation and SH16 Brigham Creek Extension" (PDF). p. 4 Table 1.
  28. ^ "Huntly | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  29. ^ "Huntly section of Waikato Expressway open to traffic". Stuff.co.nz. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  30. ^ "Ngāruawāhia | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  31. ^ "Te Rapa | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  32. ^ "Hamilton | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  33. ^ "Cambridge | NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  34. ^ "No fatalities all year on Expressway with new barriers". RNZ. 17 December 2016.
  35. ^ "New Zealand Transport Agency – Roads of National Significance – Economic Assessments 2009 p. 33" (PDF).
  36. ^ "Roads of National Significance, Economic Assessments Review 2010" (PDF).
  37. ^ H, Peter (28 May 2015). "Waikato Expressway 6 km shorter?, 35 min faster?".
  38. ^ ORAM, ROD (20 November 2010). "Going down the wrong road". Stuff.
  39. ^ "2014/15 Annual Review of the Ministry of Transport and the New Zealand Transport Agency". Report of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee. 11 February 2016.
  40. ^ "CASE STUDY: Waikato Expressway" (PDF). NZTA.
  41. ^ "Cambridge to Piarere: Project Update". NZTA. December 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  42. ^ "Short-list of options for key State Highway 1 route through Waikato released". NZTA. 20 October 2017.

External links

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