NZ InfraWatch
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TRANSPORT
Ōtaki to North Wellington — Highway
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency · Wellington
Multi-stage upgrade of SH1 from Ōtaki to north of Wellington, improving the main arterial between Auckland and Wellington. First sections under construction. National has prioritised road over the rail upgrades Labour favoured for this corridor.
A
87/100 · Very likely to proceed
Completion Probability — likelihood this proceeds on roughly its stated timeline.
Funding statusweight 30%
Delivery stageweight 25%
Election / policy riskweight 20%
Govt priority alignmentweight 12%
Project scaleweight 8%
Delivery agencyweight 5%
Key facts
- Region
- Wellington
- Sector
- Transport
- Status
- Under Construction
- Estimated value
- $2.6b
- Indicative completion
- 2030
- Funding status
- Fully Funded
- Lead organisation
- Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
- Election risk
- Medium
Election risk assessment
Road project; under construction but future stages depend on government. Labour preferred rail upgrade alternative.
Government priority alignment
HIGH — RoNS road prioritised over the rail alternative — strong GPS fit.
Chronology
- 2009Ōtaki to Levin expressway first identified as part of the Roads of National Significance
- 2018Ōtaki to north of Levin planning advances; Wellington connection planned
- 2021Labour pauses road focus, preferring rail and rapid transit on Wellington corridor
- 2023National reinstates as RoNS priority. Ōtaki to Levin construction fast-tracked
- 2024Construction begins on first sections north of Ōtaki
- 2030Target for Ōtaki to north Wellington expressway completion