January aerial of SH1 and SH18

Ngā whakahoutanga | Project update

Kia ora

It’s an exciting year for Aucklanders as 2022 will see the opening of several transport upgrades on the North Shore.

When complete, the Northern Busway extension will provide dedicated lanes for buses all the way to Albany. Knowing that there is a reliable option for how we can get to places of work or education helps make public transport a more attractive choice.

Towards the end of the year, the SH18 to SH1 northbound link will open which is the first of the two direct motorway to motorway connections currently being built.  Supporting people and goods to easily travel around the region plays an important role in the growth of Auckland.  This link means that people travelling on the Western Ring Route heading north won’t need to leave the motorway at SH18 and navigate travel on signalised local roads before re-joining SH1.

The full benefit of the direct motorway to motorway connections will be realised once the SH1 to SH18 underpass opens as this will mark the final stage of the Western Ring Route upgrade which will provide greater reliability and resilience for trips around the region and to and from the airport.

With 7km of shared paths also being built, getting around the local area on foot or by bike is set to become a lot easier. We’re opening up smaller sections in stages to help provide these benefits to locals as soon as possible.
We look forward to keeping you updated on what’s happening throughout the year.

Ngā mihi nui

Excavator working to remove the underground material from the SH1 to SH18 underpass

A breakthough for improved customer journeys

More reliable travel times are a step closer as work on the SH1 to SH18 link has broken through underground and light can now be seen in the underpass.

Excavation has been ongoing since July and in total, the team will be removing approximately 16,000m³ which is the equivalent of six Olympic sized swimming pools.

There is still much work to do to remove the rest of the material from the underpass and then we’ll be turning our focus on all the elements which make this ‘hole’ a functioning part of the state highway network with features such as lighting, drainage and of course the road surface itself.

When complete, the underpass will provide a direct motorway to motorway connection for people and goods travelling from the north on SH1 and heading west on SH18. It will be the final link of the western ring route which provides resilience and reliability for journeys in the Auckland region.

Aerial of work on the SH18 on ramp as well as the two viaducts that form part of the two direct motorway to motorway connections

SH18 on-ramp moves into its second stage

Reducing disruption on the Auckland network is important during construction to ensure that people and goods can still move around the region, especially during the day when traffic volumes are much higher. By carrying out the upgrade of the SH18 westbound on-ramp in stages, we’ve been able to keep this section of the road open during the day.

We’ll soon be moving into the next stage of work in this area where traffic will be moved onto a mix of both newly built permanent and temporary traffic lanes so that work can continue. From early February, you will notice that you’re travelling on a different section of the road and lane marking and barriers will guide you on your journey.

Please ensure you keep to the reduced speed limit and be patient while everyone adjusts to this change.

NCI Information hub

Information hub – COVID-19 Protection Framework update

With the adoption of the new COVID-19 Protection Framework, our Information Hub will be open weekdays from 9am to 4pm whilst Auckland is in the ORANGE and GREEN traffic light settings.

All visitors will need to wear a mask, show their vaccine pass on arrival as well as sign in to help with contact tracing so please have your pass ready to show one of the team.

If you do not have a vaccine pass but would like to speak with us about the project, get in touch via one of the below channels to arrange a phone call or online meeting.

The hub will be closed during times when Auckland is in the RED traffic light setting.

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 www.nzta.govt.nz/nci