The Government formally opened Registrations of Interest for the first stage of the Northland Expressway at last week's NZ Infrastructure Investment Summit, Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced.

“Connecting Northland to the Auckland region through a resilient, safe and efficient new expressway will unlock economic growth, boost productivity and drive higher living standards for Northlanders and Aucklanders," said Minister Bishop.

Minister Bishop highlighted the success of the Waikato Expressway, delivered by the last National-led Government, as a "game changer" for the Waikato region and noted the similar transformational potential of the Northland Expressway to boost jobs and growth.

“The upper North Island is the economic powerhouse of New Zealand.

Northland, Auckland, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty collectively account for 53.7 per cent of New Zealand’s population (2.7 million people), and 55.5 per cent of GDP ($215 billion).

This isn’t just an investment into Northland - it’s an investment into the broader upper North Island area,” Bishop explained.

The first stage of the project, from Warkworth to Te Hana, was confirmed as a 26km four-lane expressway connected to the new Pūhoi to Warkworth expressway.

Map of the proposed route.

The indicative design included an 850m twin bore tunnel in the Dome Valley and interchanges at Warkworth, Wellsford, and Te Hana.

Being the most advanced section in terms of designation, consents, and property acquisition, it would resolve resilience challenges in the Dome Valley and enable early construction.

NZTA had conducted extensive domestic and international market engagement, resulting in significant global interest.

Cabinet approved NZTA to advance procurement via a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), starting immediately with the Registration of Interest process.

Registered parties would be invited to submit a formal Expression of Interest (EOI), followed by a Request for Proposal (RFP) in mid-2025.

A preferred bidder was expected to be announced in early 2026, with the PPP contract finalised by mid-year.

Detailed design and construction for the Warkworth to Te Hana section were expected to start in late 2026, with completion anticipated around 2034.

The Northland Expressway would utilise the Fast-track Approvals Act and recent amendments to the Public Works Act for critical infrastructure.

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“Today is a great milestone for going for growth in Northland. This investment will not only unlock Northland’s economic potential but also provide long-term opportunities for the infrastructure sector, helping to build a stronger, more resilient supply chain for New Zealand,” said Bishop.

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