Work has begun on the first section of the long awaited Puhoi to Wellsford Road, a new 18.5km motorway between Auckland and Northland.

“Extending the Northern Motorway between Puhoi and Warkworth will enhance inter-regional and national economic growth and improve the reliability of the transport network between Auckland and Northland,” said Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

“It will also support population growth, connecting the expanding Warkworth area which is expected to grow to 20,000 residents in the next few decades.”

The $709.5 million project is being delivered through a Public Private Partnership, the second for a state highway in New Zealand.

Progress is also being made towards starting the second stage between Warkworth and Wellsford.

“The NZ Transport Agency has been undertaking investigations and will be sharing an indicative route with the public early next year,” said Bridges.

“Both of these projects will reduce the overall travel time between Auckland and Northland, bypassing town centres and avoiding State Highway 1‘s current steep and winding route. It will also create a better freight connection for Northland to the Upper North Island freight ‘Golden Triangle‘ of Auckland, Waikato and Tauranga.”

The road is planned to be open to traffic in late 2021.