7 September 2021

Te Tai Tokerau | Northland resident Ross Mallett feels safer when turning in and out of Portland Road on State Highway 1 (SH1), south of Whangārei, thanks to improvements to the Loop Road and Portland Road intersections.

Roundabout in rural setting

He says the new turn-off, signage and lighting are superb. “We look forward to an era of safety in our daily entrances and exits.”

In early 2021, SH1 was widened and a turning lane added, making turning in and out of Portland Road safer.

About 19,000 vehicles move through this section of SH1 each day, 13% of these carrying heavy freight. These improvements will help improve freight efficiency and make it safer for everyone driving in the area.

The Loop Road intersection with SH1 is a critical connection for the forestry sector on the journey to and from Northport at Port Marsden where logs are delivered for export. State Highway 15—a key freight route—also joins SH1 at Loop Road.

To improve safety and help traffic flow at this intersection, construction of a single-lane roundabout started in early 2019. To futureproof for regional growth, in late 2019 an additional $23 million was provided to upgrade this to a two-lane roundabout.

As part of this upgrade, a new two-lane bridge and taper lane are being built to enable people driving south to merge safely into a single lane after leaving the roundabout. Construction is expected to start in summer 2021/22 and be completed by mid-2023.

$751 million will be invested in Te Tai Tokerau | Northland as part of the 2021–24 National Land Transport Programme.

2021–24 NLTP Te Tai Tokerau | Northland regional summary

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