Construction has started on the new commercial vehicle safety centre at Mackays Crossing, Wellington which is expected to be completed in 2026
Supporting infrastructure including weigh-in-motion scales, static vehicle recognition cameras, and variable message signage will also be installed on State Highway 1 and 59 leading to the centre.
This technology will screen passing heavy vehicles and any non-compliant vehicles can be directed into the CVSC. Once operational, Police officers on site will check for vehicle weight, road user charges, certificate of fitness, logbook and driver impairment.
The CVSC site is located on State Highway 59, between the Mackays Crossing and Paekākāriki interchanges.
Screening vehicles in this area will allow us to identify and target non-compliant operators, reduce road maintenance by reducing overloading on the network, and keep freight moving on this high-volume route for the lower North Island.
The physical works have begun and are expected to be completed by mid-2026.
This includes the installation of:
With the centre is located away from the state highway, so no traffic management will be required for its construction.
The installation of the weigh-in motion systems on the state highways will require short-term traffic management. These works will be communicated to the public in advance.
The planned route for heavy vehicles called into the CVSC means they won’t need to cross over the shared path at the Mackays Crossing interchange. This will help to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders.
In addition to this, we’re installing a horse-friendly fence and widening the shared path at the Mackays underpass to help prevent horses straying onto the road.
Construction of the CVSC isn’t expected to create excessive levels of noise. However, to reduce the possible impact of construction work will be limited to weekdays, with no night works planned.
When the Mackays Crossing CVSC opens heavy vehicles will be directed by overhead signage to enter the CVSC on SH59. To limit the possibility of heavy vehicles crossing paths with shared path users, heavy vehicle drivers will be asked to use the following routes to access the CVSC:
How will access to and from the Mackays Crossing CVSC work? [PDF, 149 KB]
Enter
Exit
Since the opening of Transmission Gully, traffic counts on SH59 have dropped from 25,700 per day to approximately 5,400 per day. Approximately 13,300 vehicles currently travel in each direction along the adjacent section of SH1 per day, with around 6.5% of them being heavy vehicles.
We’re estimating that when the CVSC initially opens, approximately 11 heavy vehicles will be called into the CVSC during the morning peak (8-9am), and around 7 during the evening peak (5-6pm). This number is expected to reduce over time.