Four-laning Hawke’s Bay Expressway gets $100m in Government funding

Napier MP Katie Nimon (left) and Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd next to the Hawke's Bay Expressway, which currently has two lanes (one northbound and one southbound).

The most anticipated roading project in Hawke’s Bay now has a funding figure next to it, with $100 million committed by the Government to start four-laning the Hawke’s Bay Expressway.

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s (NZTA) National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) for 2024-2027 was announced this week, which featured $657m for Hawke’s Bay road and transport projects.

That included $100m to plan, design and start construction on stage one of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway four-laning upgrade, which is a 6km stretch between Taradale Rd and Pākowhai/Links Rd.

NZTA has committed to start construction on stage one by 2027 at the latest, and plans to four-lane the entire 27km expressway in stages in future.

Napier National MP Katie Nimon has previously stated her expectation was work on the expressway would “definitely be started” this election term (by 2026).

There is no timeframe for when stage one will be completed.

The expressway is the main connector between Napier and Hastings which is part of State Highway 2 and often becomes congested at peak times.

It is unclear exactly how two overbridges and a bridge over the Tūtaekurī River will be made into four lanes as part of stage one.

Nimon said it was “likely” additional bridges would be built for northbound traffic at those sites, although it was early in the process and that was speculative at this stage.

NZTA stated design decisions, including for bridges on the expressway, would be confirmed between late 2024 and early 2025.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the 6km stage-one upgrade would reduce travel times for motorists and freight on “the most congested section of the expressway”.

“Over the next three years, planning, design, and construction will start on the first stage of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway, between Taradale Rd and Pākowhai/Links Rd.”

There is a possibility the four-lane expressway could be tolled in future and it has been deemed a road of national significance.

The $657m in funding over the next three years for Hawke’s Bay includes $246m for improvements, $154m for maintenance, $216m to fix potholes and $32m for public transport, among other investments.

* UPDATE: Hawke’s Bay Today’s initial version of this story said no funding had been made available for the construction of the Waikare Gorge realignment project in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) for 2024-2027. This was incorrect and the error is regretted. You can read the latest update on the Waikare Gorge here.