Ask Phoebe: Waikato Expressway due to be completed by 2019

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Could you tell me the state of play with regard to the four-laning of SH1 to Cambridge? There is work going on at Rangiriri, but when is the Huntly bypass to the east of Taupiri Mountain to be constructed? John Saunders, Northcote.

The Waikato Expressway will provide 102km of continuous divided four-lane highway and reduce the length of State Highway 1 by 6km. It will provide a further 12km of new or upgraded links and a new bridge over the Waikato River north of Hamilton. It should cut travel times between Auckland and Tirau by 35 minutes. It is due to be completed by 2019.

Progress so far:

• Pokeno and Mercer - 22.6km sections completed.

• Longswamp - 5.9km section is in secondary investigation, opening 2018.

• Rangiriri - 4.8km section is under construction, opens late 2016.

• Ohinewai - 7km section completed.

• Huntly - 15.2km section is in investigation and preliminary design stage, target opening 2019.

• Ngaruawahia - 12.3km section completed, opened in December 2013.

• Te Rapa - 8km section completed, opened in December 2012.

• Hamilton - 21.8km section is in investigation and preliminary design stage, target opening 2019.

• Tamahere interchange - 2.4km section completed.

• Cambridge - 16km section is under construction, opens late 2016.

On the Northwestern Motorway before the Pt Chevalier off-ramp going west, they seem to be taking filling out from behind the retaining walls. Is this to widen the motorway?

Max Purdy, Auckland.

The Transport Agency says the work before the Great North Rd interchange is to widen the Northwestern Motorway by one lane in each direction. This will ensure the motorway can accommodate the additional traffic once the Waterview Connection project is finished. For example, the Transport Agency says drivers heading from the central city to the airport will find it more efficient to take the Northwestern Motorway to the Great North Rd interchange where there will be a ramp that takes them to the Southwestern Motorway and on to the airport via the Waterview tunnels.

With reference to the item about obscuring of number plates, what is the position with cars towing horse floats, caravans, etc, as the car number plate is totally obscured? Paul Cook, Howick.

Horse floats, caravans and trailers have a separate number plate, which must be visible. They must also have a current warrant of fitness.