The speed limit on the Northern Gateway Toll Road has been increased to 110km/h. On Tuesday 1 July 2025 the speed limit on Auckland’s State Highway 1 (SH1) Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will also increase to 110km/h.
The Northern Gateway Toll Road and the Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway continue to be important sections of State Highway 1 (SH1) that provide 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.
Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway going to 110km/h (beehive.govt.nz)(external link)
Auckland’s Northern Gateway Toll Road to go to 110 km/h (beehive.govt.nz)(external link)
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. 94% of submissions supported the proposed speed limit increase. 91% strongly supported the proposed increase, 6% did not support it and 1% were unsure.
CloseThe Northern Gateway Toll Road and the Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway’s new permanent speed limit of 110km/h have both been approved by the Director of Land Transport as follows:
| Location |
Description of location |
Length of road |
Current speed limit |
New permanent speed limit |
New speed limit effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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 |
26 May 2025 |
|
SH1 Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway |
From the northern side of the Te Arawhiti ki Ōkahu and Te Arawhiti ki Pūhoi viaducts to the northern end of the motorway (by the Pukerito Roundabout in Warkworth) at the existing speed change location. |
15.4 kms |
100km/h |
110km/h |
1 July 2025 |
Close
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.
Close
