Now build it and watch Northland grow – Editorial

A new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei will open up Northland's economic opportunities.

Editorial

THREE KEY FACTS

• The Government has mapped the preferred route of the new Northland Expressway, tipped to be one of the country’s most expensive infrastructure projects.
• The Government is opting for a new route over the Brynderwyn Hills, to the east of the current state highway.
• The first section of the expressway has already been confirmed.

If you build it, they will come.

That has been the mantra of every Northland business north of the slip-prone Brynderwyn Hills.

You could almost hear the sighs of relief from Waipū, Paihia, Whangārei and Kerikeri yesterday when Transport Minister Chris Bishop revealed the earmarked route for a four-lane highway.

Finally.

This road will effectively connect the region to the rest of the country, replacing the unreliable goat track we are all too familiar with.

It will go from Warkworth east of State Highway 1 and over the Brynderwyn Hills, then through to Whangārei. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) had investigated other options, including two bypass routes to the west.

The Brynderwyn Hills specifically, about 45km south of Whangārei, has been a problem child in our state highway system and seen ongoing closures since severe weather in early 2023.

Last year, the highway was closed for about four months as NZTA repaired numerous slips. And over this year’s Easter weekend, a landslip badly damaged cars and blocked part of SH1.

The project is expected to be one of the country’s most expensive projects. But Bishop said it would be tolled to counter the cost.

Regardless, this is a piece of resilient infrastructure which has been a long time coming and is sorely needed.

For too long, Northland has been ignored by the decision-makers in Wellington and has languished as one of our most economically deprived regions.

People and businesses have suffered because of bureaucratic inaction and inefficiencies.

Those who live in the winterless north, often working in small operations and seasonal tourism ventures, can now see a future where their livelihoods aren’t determined by weather and how long authorities take to clear the roads.

Labour had derided the building of the northern expressway as a “holiday highway”, claiming it was only going to serve the wealthy bach owners of Ōmaha, Matakana and Mangawhai.

But when then Prime Minister Chris Hipkins cut the ribbon for the Pūhoi to Warkworth section in 2023, he admitted the party got it wrong in its assessment.

It should have always been easy to see how the new road would transform Northland, increasing growth in the region and providing economic and educational opportunities with increased access to Auckland.

The Waikato Expressway was the blueprint and has been a significant factor in Hamilton’s rise to become one of New Zealand’s key cities in the last two decades.

“The Northland corridor is a top priority for the Government and we are working quickly to deliver this vital connection to help Northland’s economy grow and its communities thrive,” Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said.

All that’s left now is to build it.

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