Drivers urged to plan ahead for full Southern Motorway closure this Saturday night

Waka Kotahi is urging motorists in Auckland to plan ahead and expect delays with an extended 14-hour full closure of the Southern Motorway (SH1) between Papakura and Drury this weekend from 7pm Saturday night to 9am Sunday morning.

The closure is needed to allow for the safe demolition of the old Park Estate Bridge as part of the first stage of work on the SH1 Papakura to Drury project, part of the Government’s $8.7 billion investment through the New Zealand Upgrade Programme to get our cities moving, save lives and boost productivity.

The old bridge is being replaced to accommodate the additional motorway lanes being delivered underneath as part of the Papakura to Drury project. The bridge is being rebuilt in two halves to maintain access to properties on the western side of the motorway throughout the works.  Traffic was moved onto the new southern half of the bridge on Sunday 15 May ahead of the upcoming demolition of the old bridge, which will then make room for the new northern half of the bridge to be built in the gap created. 

During the overnight closure traffic will be detoured using Beach Road and Great South Road, with the road across the new bridge closed to all but western end residents and emergency services, who will be escorted across as required.  

The SH1 Papakura to Drury project includes:

• 4km of shared walking and cycling pathways alongside the northbound side of SH1 between Papakura and Drury interchanges (extending the Southern Path between Takanini and Papakura interchanges opened in May 2021)
• an additional lane in each direction and wide shoulders to future-proof for public transport services between Papakura and Drury
• interchange improvements at Papakura (including a new southbound on-ramp) and Drury (enabling rail electrification between Papakura and Pukekohe, future-proofing for additional rail lines, and improved safety and access along Great South Road through the interchange)
• improved local road connections and access along and across the motorway, including at Park Estate Road bridge
• improved safety features and environmental outcomes.

For more information visit www.nzta.govt.nz/p2b