On Monday 26 May 2025 the speed limit on Auckland’s State Highway 1 (SH1) Northern Gateway Toll Road will increase to 110km/h. At this stage, the speed limit on SH1 Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth remains at 100km/h.
The Northern Gateway Toll Road continues to be an important section of State Highway 1 (SH1) that provides interregional connection while also reducing congestion and improving travel times for people and freight.
The road has been designed and constructed with safety features such as two lanes in each direction providing safe passing opportunities, physical median separation between opposing lanes, and a mostly straight, wide alignment. This means the increased speed limit can be considered and implemented.
Changing the speed limit on this stretch of road is in line with our commitment to delivering state highways that help people get where they need to go, safely and efficiently.
Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth
The proposal to increase the speed limit to 110km/h further north on the SH1 Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway, which was consulted on at the same time, is not included in this speed limit increase. At this stage, this section of SH1 remains at 100 km/h.
As a requirement of the current Setting of Speed Limits Rule (2022), public consultation took place from 3 September to 1 October 2024.
7,911 submissions were received from across Northland and Auckland, including 158 submissions from businesses or organisations. 93% of submissions supported the proposed speed limit increase. 91% strongly supported the proposed increase, 6% did not support it and 1% were unsure.
NGTR 110km/h speed limit review consultation summary report – May 2025 [PDF, 596 KB]
CloseThe Northern Gateway Toll Road’s new permanent speed limit of 110km/h has been approved by the Director of Land Transport and is effective from 26 May 2025.
The new speed limit will apply to 5.5 km of the state highway, from north of Orewa to south of the Johnstones Hill Tunnels.
For now, the maximum speed limit you can travel on Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway is 100km/h.
| Location |
Description of location |
Length of road |
Current speed limit |
New permanent speed limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SH1 Northern Gateway Toll Road |
From north of the toll gantry to the southern entrance/exit of Johnstons Hill Tunnel. |
5.5 kms |
100km/h |
110km/h |
| Location |
Description of location |
Length of road |
Current speed limit |
Proposed new speed limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SH1 Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway |
From the northern entrance/exit of Johnstones Hill Tunnels to the northern end of the motorway (by the Warkworth roundabout) |
18.5 kms |
100km/h |
110km/h |
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The following sections of SH1 weren’t consulted on:
Police will apply the same enforcement to 110km/h roads as any other part of the road network. Drivers can expect to see police patrols on New Zealand roads anywhere, at any time.
In addition, the current 90km/h speed limit for heavy vehicles and towing vehicles will still apply on roads with a 110km/h speed limit. The The Northern Gateway Toll Road and Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway have at least two lanes in each direction, so other road users should be able to safely and easily pass slower-moving vehicles.
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