Ōtaki to north of Levin update

25 September 2025

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, local hapū of Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga and council partner Horowhenua District Council (HDC) are working together to create a positive legacy for the region while we build a new, safer, efficient, and more reliable State Highway 1 (SH1) from Ōtaki to north of Levin.

In this edition of the Ō2NL newsletter we celebrate the start of main construction and invite you to join us at one of our 4 community drop-in sessions next month. We’re also pleased to provide you with an update on the SH57/Tararua Road roundabout, which is entering the final stages of construction.

First sod turned on new Ō2NL highway

The start of the main construction works on the new Ōtaki to north of Levin highway was marked with an official sod turning event on Tuesday 23 September.

Held at a site near Manakau, Prime Minister Christoper Luxon and Transport Minister Chris Bishop travelled to the region and were welcomed by local iwi to mark the exciting milestone for the region.

Ō2NL construction to begin from October

Construction underway

From October, work will ramp up and you’ll notice increased activity along the 24km route—from Taylor’s Road in Ōtaki to just north of Levin—as crews begin major earthworks and site preparation.

Work will include stormwater and drainage setup, erosion and sediment control, vegetation clearing, stream diversions, and defishing. Site establishment continues too, with fencing, haul road construction, surveying, testing, and house removals.

If you’re travelling through the area, please be aware of areas of temporary speed restrictions on SH1, SH57, and nearby local roads where construction vehicles are active. Temporary traffic lights will be in place at several haul road crossings to allow machinery and local traffic to move safely.

Some key activities this spring and summer include:

• Earthworks: Removing topsoil and building sediment ponds to protect waterways.
• Vegetation clearing: Making way for construction, with 250 hectares of native planting planned to offset vegetation removal.
• Wildlife protection: A predator-proof area at Queen Street East will safely house any protected lizards found during construction.
• Site offices: Construction is underway in Ōtaki for one of the main project offices. The Levin project office (Te Mātahi o Tararua) is already in use.
• Material supply sites: Earth suitable for road building is being collected from several locations across the project area.

Upcoming Ō2NL drop-in sessions - October 2025

Come and meet the project team. If you have questions about the start of the Ō2NL project, come along to one of the drop-in sessions being hosted by the team in October:

All four legs of the SH57/Tararua Road roundabout now open to traffic

SH57/Tararua Road roundabout update

As we start construction on the new highway, the SH57/Tararua Road roundabout is nearing completion.

Ahead of schedule, the SH57/Tararua Road roundabout crew opened the fourth and final leg of the roundabout to traffic late last month.

Over the next few months, you can expect to see the team continuing to progress work on the final stages of the roundabout, including landscaping, driveway accesses, and the final asphalting and line marking which will happen later this year, when the weather warms up.

We’re on track for the roundabout to be fully complete by the end of the year.

The new roundabout will improve safety at this busy intersection and will provide a future connection to the new Ōtaki to north of Levin highway and the Tara-Ika growth area.

Thank you to the community for your patience while the team have been working to complete this important work.

More information

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl to find out about the new highway and other projects happening in this corridor.

For more information on the Ōtaki to north of Levin programme, contact us at info@o2nl.nz or call 0508 625 4636.