Coasties, good progress is being made on the Northland Expressway, with the preferred corridor for the Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway and Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei sections now confirmed.

This announcement comes from NZTA, Transport Minister Chris Bishop, and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones.

The Northland Expressway is being developed in three sections:

• Warkworth to Te Hana
• Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway
• Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei

The Warkworth to Te Hana section will be a 26km-long four-lane road, connecting to the Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway.

It is currently in procurement after announcements made at the NZ Infrastructure Investment Summit.

The emerging preferred corridor for Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway involves a new route to the east of SH1, bypassing the challenging Brynderwyn Hills.

For the final section, Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei, a new road will run near SH1, with a widened SH1 corridor approaching urban Whangārei.

NZTA Northland Corridor Programme Director Derek Robertson highlights the urgency behind the project.

"The Northland Corridor will address the critical resilience and safety issues facing the current road," he says.

This new expressway is designed to provide a safer, more resilient, and efficient road for Northland, particularly after years of disruptions due to severe weather.

For Coasties, this means reduced travel times, fewer weather-related disruptions, and improved access between the Hibiscus Coast and Whangārei.

The upgraded transport network will help unlock new business opportunities, provide smoother commutes, and create a more connected region.

While this is an exciting development, landowners within the emerging preferred corridor area may face uncertainty.

Robertson acknowledges the concern, stating that NZTA will begin contacting potentially impacted landowners to provide clarity on next steps.

The final route will be confirmed later this year, offering landowners greater certainty.

In addition, detailed design and construction for Section 1 (Warkworth to Te Hana) will begin in late 2026, with an expected completion around 2034.

This vital infrastructure will not only boost Northland’s economic growth but also enhance resilience, ensuring the region is better equipped to handle future weather events and transport disruptions.

Ministers continue to emphasise that the Northland Expressway will help link Northland to Auckland’s economy and bring long-term benefits to the region.

Know something local worth sharing?

Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.