New section of motorway opens

The new Manukau Extension motorway is opened for the public to walk along today. Photo / NZPA

A new 4.5km stretch of motorway costing $220 million has been opened in Auckland by Transport Minister Steven Joyce.

The motorway connects the southern and southwestern motorways at Manukau City.

The motorway took four year to build and eliminated 12 sets of traffic signals.

It would create immediate benefits, especially for drivers of commercial and heavy vehicles, said the New Zealand Transport Agency's regional director for Auckland and Northland, Wayne McDonald.

The motorway would be opened in three stages before Christmas with southbound lanes open from tomorrow although speed restrictions would apply.

West and north bound lanes would open a month later and the project would be completed in December after a section of the Puhinui Stream was diverted.

- NZPA