Northern Corridor Improvements

29 March 2023

Direct link connecting the north with the west now open

The 2km direct link and underpass connecting SH1 to SH18, marking the completion of the Western Ring Route (WRR) on Auckland’s North Shore opened on Monday 20 March. This new stretch of road provides a resilient alternative for travel through Auckland and connects the north with western and southern regions.

“Reliable journey times for people and freight will be a by-product of the work that has taken place across multiple years and projects to improve the resilience and performance of Auckland’s transport network, protecting our infrastructure against the elements and providing a choice for people who need to get around Auckland” says Stephen Collett, Regional Manager Transport Services.

The WRR has been constructed in stages over the past two decades and NCI opened the direct motorway link from SH18 to SH1 last month which has been providing a seamless transition for motorists travelling from the west to the north.

Read the full media release here or check out the below video which we filmed before the link opened.

The urban design story of the underpass

Developed in partnership with mana whenua, the urban design narrative at the entrance and through the underpass reflects the cultural history of the area and takes the modern day traveller on a journey expressed through the use of materials, patterns and colour.

The pattern on the retaining wall reflects the Pātiki design (1) which is based on the diamond shape of the flounder fish. The use of the Pātiki design has been used here to represent the visual connections to open water views. The timber wall treatment (2) references the Waitākere ranges and the blue barrier pattern (3) on the motorway bridge references the coast of Te Waitematā.  The colours which feature inside the underpass (4) reflect the changing colour of the surrounding landscape from the Eastern coastline represented by sandstone cliff, light brown, transitioning to the greens of Waitākere Ranges in the west.

Coming up soon…

Next month, the approximately 6km section of shared path which runs adjacent to SH1 and extends from Constellation Station to Oteha Valley Road will open. The shared path will provide choice for how people get around their local community or commute to places of work, so connections at key locations – such as Arrenway Reserve, which is within the Rosedale industrial area, Greville Road or Constellation Station – are important.

We’ll keep you updated so you know when the path will open.

Latest photos from site

Whakapā mai | Contact us

For more information on the Auckland Northern Corridor project, contact us on 0800 NCI Project (0800 624 776) or at northerncorridor@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website http://www.nzta.govt.nz/nci